Sodor Magic Crusaders
by iheartgod175
Summary: University student Thomas was living a normal life until the morning of his exam, where he sees a blond man in strange clothing falling out of the sky. Through a strange series of events, he suddenly becomes a mage-and finds himself involved in a plot to save the world. A humanized Lyrical Nanoha/Thomas fusion fic.
1. Act 1: Gathering of the Players

On the rooftops of the large Sodor University, a young man with dark brown hair stands outside, looking out at the town. Cars and people currently occupy the streets, signaling a busy afternoon. The sun shines brightly in the sky, with small wispy clouds in between.

_Out of all the people that this could have happened to, I was the one who had to be chosen. Me- the underdog who rarely gets recognized. You're probably going to think that the story I'm about to tell you is something that would come straight out of an anime. But I must tell you, it's not. It's real. _

The young man looks at the red sphere in his hand, thinking, as if he's remembering something. His bright blue eyes then look up towards the sky as the past becomes clear to him.

_It all started back in December, during finals week. I figured that nothing serious could happen-or should I say, something _magical _would happen. I was content with enjoying my regular life, although I did wish something interesting would happen to me._

_What ended up happening to me was interesting…and that's where I realized I should be much more careful what I wish for._

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: Here's a crazy idea for a crossover: what would you get if you humanized the Thomas characters and put them in the world of Nanoha? This story, that's what. After spending nearly a year brainstorming, writing and then dropping it, I began to get back into the Thomas series, and reading some of my one-shot Crusader stories brought this story to my attention.

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 1: The Gathering of the Players

_Dream Dimension, City of Perth, unknown time_

The city was quiet. Too quiet, Edward noted.

For the past hour, he and Percy had been on the run from the authorities, using many fake identities and taking many back routes to get to the city of Perth. So far, they'd made it without running into any of Diesel 10's powerful Counts, who could easily trounce him and Percy in seconds.

Edward had expected the city to be busy since it was the middle of the day, so if one of the Counts did show up, they'd be able to blend into the crowd. When presented with a quiet city, however, his heart sank with dread. It was far too early to tell, but there was an ambush coming. And having several years of combat experience, he knew this atmosphere very well.

Edward turned to see Percy carrying a small briefcase, taking short glances around. He was a short man with blond hair and green eyes and wore a trench coat to hide his Barrier Jacket underneath. Inside that briefcase was the reason he and Edward were running to the city.

"Are you sure there's nobody behind you, Percy?" he asked.

"I triple checked behind me, Edward. There's nobody here." Percy then noticed just how worried Edward looked. "Why?"

"Have you noticed just how quiet things are around here, Percy? Around this time of the day, it should be busy," Edward said. "The fact that there's nobody out here means that there could be an attack."

"Oh. Well, we're far enough from the major cities if the Counts are trying to find us," Percy said. It was then that he noticed something noticeably off about the sky. "Edward…the sky isn't supposed to be an amber color, right?"

Edward looked up at the sky, confused-and then his eyes widened in horror as he realized just what they've walked into. "It's a trap!" he said.

"Right you are, Edward." Both Percy and Edward turned around to see a man with jet black hair, dark blue eyes, and wore a red outfit. In his right hand was a metal croquet mallet that was currently giving off magical energy.

"James," Edward growled. "I should have known you were behind this!"

"Did you really think that we wouldn't be able to find you, old man? I happened to be not too far from the city when I picked up a massive amount of magical energy. That led me straight to you," James said. "Quite an easy task, if I must say so myself."

Edward leaned in close to Percy. "Percy, take the briefcase and run. I'll catch up with you later," he whispered.

Percy was shocked. "Wha- I can't do that, Edward! You know that I'm not that powerful of a-"

"Percy, just do what I tell you! Get away from here!" Edward said. Percy was about to argue, but seeing as his mentor wasn't about to budge, he realized that he had no choice but to run. The young mage took off running, heading into the heart of downtown.

"Well, then, that just leaves you and me, Edward. I've been waiting a long time for a rematch," James said, readying his mallet. Edward threw off his trench coat, revealing a baby blue suit streaked with reds and a few silvers. In front of it, there was a small silver keychain with the number 2. Raising his right hand, he summoned his weapon, a black staff with an odd shaped head at the top.

"You want a rematch, James? You're gonna get it, alright."

* * *

Percy continued to run through the city, his breath coming out in shallow gasps. He still couldn't wrap his mind over how Edward would just tell him to leave like that. He of all people knew that he didn't have a Device, save for the one that he carried: a small red sphere he'd discovered during an excavation in the mountains. From what he could tell, it was a very powerful Device, but he was only able to use the sealing and search functions on it, as it had deemed him unfit to use it. The only things he was good at were defensive spells, save for the few offensive ones.

Behind him, he heard James yelling something, and then an explosion followed. He looked up to see two streaks of blue and red light crashing into each other with great speed. Edward and James had once been great friends, he remembered, if somewhat vitriolic. That all changed when James had decided to join Diesel 10's forces, and Edward refused to support him. From that point on, the two were on bad terms, with James having a particular desire to beat Edward.

Percy was so busy watching the fight that he didn't realize that he was at the outskirts of the city…or that someone else was waiting for him. The sound of a high pitched whine finally brought the support mage to his senses, and he looked ahead to see a green beam of light head straight for him. Percy barely had time to put up a shield, and the attack slammed straight into it, exploding. A cloud of smoke surrounded Percy, blocking his vision.

"Well, well. If it isn't the pipsqueak Percy," a voice said lazily. Percy's eyes widened when he heard that voice.

"H-Henry? Is that you?" he asked, already dreading the answer to that question.

"Of course it's me. I thought you'd gotten my letter that I was working for Diesel 10 now." Tall and muscular, Henry stood in front of Percy wearing a green jacket with a white tank top and green pants. In his hands were two handguns. The one in his right hand had thin trail of white smoke coming from the barrel.

"Henry, we were great friends at the Academy. Why…why would you suddenly switch sides?" Percy asked.

"I didn't really have a choice, you know. Gordon pretty much forced into joining. You know how greedy he can be for power." Henry then looked to see that Percy was holding a suitcase. "So, what's in the suitcase?"

Percy glared at him. "You should know exactly what's in here, Henry! It's been all over the news since they were stolen!"

" 'They'?" Henry was confused, but then his eyes lit up as he remembered exactly what was going on. "You don't really have them…"

"The seven pages of the Book of Transformation that were stolen from Diesel 10's headquarters? Yeah, I've got 'em. Only I won't be giving them to you," Percy said.

Henry loaded a cartridge into his Device, Cross Mirage, and pointed the handgun at Percy. "Unless you want to die, you will," he said dangerously. Percy looked around, trying to find a way to escape. It was just then that a scream split the sky. Both of them turned around to see Edward fall out of the sky, his clothes trailing with smoke. He hit the ground hard, throwing Percy to the ground with the force. The suitcase flew out of his hands and slid to Henry's feet.

"No!" Edward tried to get up again, but a series of red strings surrounded him. Before he could move, the strings wrapped around his arms, rendering immobile. James came down from the sky, obviously pleased.

"You're getting weaker, Edward. Probably time you retired from the battlefield," he said. Edward didn't listen, for his attention was locked on Henry, who was about to open the suitcase.

"Let's see what exactly is in here, shall we?" Henry said. He started to unzip the suitcase, and a gold light started to appear through the cracks.

"NO!" Edward had screamed it, but Percy reacted first. Summoning his magic, he created a powerful green shield around his body that lifted him off the floor.

"_Protection Smash!" _he screamed, and charged straight into Henry with a flying tackle. The force of the collision sent Henry spiraling out of control, and sent the suitcase flying out of his hands. Disengaging the shield, Percy ran to catch the suitcase before it fell to the ground.

"Get back here, you little shrimp!" James summoned four metal spheres, and threw them in the air. "Let's do this, Graf Eisen!"

"_Schwable Fleigen!" _Graf Eisen called, and James hit them hard with the hammer. The spheres went flying in Percy's direction, as he had taken off running again.

"Percy, look out!" Edward shouted, but it was too late as a massive explosion covered the area where Percy had been. The older mage's eyes widened in horror as the smoke cleared away…and Percy was nowhere to be seen.

Nobody was expecting this at all. James nearly dropped Graf Eisen in shock. "H-He just vanished into thin air!" he screamed.

"Not exactly, James," Edward said calmly, although there was the ghost of a smirk on his face. "Percy used a spell that I personally taught him, where he can warp to another area."

"Dang it!" James growled. That meant that he got away with the suitcase containing the seven pages of the book, and they had to get them back. The only problem was, they had no idea where Percy went.

"Henry, I want you to search outside the city and see if you can spot him anywhere. I don't care if he's dead or alive; it's the suitcase that we need!" James ordered. "Diesel 10 will have our heads if we don't get them back!"

Henry gulped at the mention of their temperamental boss. "Don't worry, James. I have Cross Mirage doing an extensive search on the area right now," he said. Applying a Blitzkrieg, Henry took off for the skies, ready to search for Percy.

Once Henry had left, James turned to Edward, a dangerous smile on his face. "In the meantime…I think you and I can head back to D-10's base and have a chat. I'm sure he'd love to see you," he said.

Edward gulped. This was not going to end well.

* * *

Percy ended up being teleported outside the city into a nearby park. It was a good thing he remembered one of Edward's spells, otherwise, he and Edward would both be in danger. As he started to walk towards the forest, he got the feeling that he wouldn't be able to see Edward for a while.

Sure enough, Edward's voice came into his mind. _"Percy! James has taken me captive, and I can't use my magic to get free. You're going to have to leave without me."_

"_But, where am I supposed to go? I don't have a lot of magic left myself," _Percy replied.

"_Head to the Island of Sodor, Percy. It's the only place you can reach without using all of your magic. Now hurry; Henry's looking for you!"_

After disconnecting their telepathic link, Percy summoned another orb of green energy. This would be the absolute last spell he'd use in a while. The Protection Smash had taken a good bit out of him, and unless he wanted to die at the hands of James or Henry, he'd have to get his spell right.

As he was charging up the attack, his senses picked up that someone was nearby…somebody rather powerful. It had to be Henry, as Edward had said he was coming for him. Willing his body to speed up the process, he poured more energy into the orb while draining himself in the process. By the time Henry skidded to a stop about ten feet in front of him, Percy was ready to collapse.

"Don't even think of trying to teleport away!" Henry said. Loading a cartridge into his gun, he started to charge a large sphere of green energy that Percy immediately recognized as his ultimate attack, Phantom Blazer.

_Phantom Blazer takes too long to cast, so if I can just hurry and get the last ounce of energy, I'll be able to escape! _Percy forced more energy into his hand, groaning as he felt every last ounce of energy leave his body. Henry noticed this and tried to speed up his charging process.

_If only this spell didn't take so long to charge…_

After several grueling minutes, the transport spell was ready. Percy raised the orb into the air, and shouted, _"Dimensional Transport, take me to the Island of Sodor!" _The green orb shot into the air, and a powerful beam of light descended onto Percy. Henry fired the attack, but the large bullet bounced off of the beam, sending it crashing into a bush. A fire erupted on the scene as Percy's teleportation spell did its job. Within seconds, the support mage disappeared.

Henry resisted the urge to blow up the forest around him in anger. Before he could do anything else, however, James' voice came into his head. _"Did you get that little pipsqueak?"_

"_The little shrimp got away! He managed to teleport before I could fire my Phantom Blazer attack," _Henry replied.

There was distinct growl, and then James said, _"No matter. He'll be dead by the time he gets there anyway. The other member of our trio is in Tidmouth."_

"_Gordon's there? I forgot that he was supposed to be taking a holiday. Is Edward giving you any trouble?"_

"_Of course not. I have him bound head to toe in an immobilization binding spell that also sucks out magical energy. He won't be going anywhere for a while."_

"_Where are you heading now?"_

"_Back to Headquarters. Edward's going to have a splendid time meeting D-10 again."_

"_I'll be there in a little while." _After disengaging from their link, Henry smiled. What had seemed like a terrible loss now had the potential to be a big victory for them. As Henry took off for the skies, his small smile grew to a grin.

"You just wait, Percy. By the time Gordon's finished with you, you'll wish you and Edward had given up from the start."

* * *

_Present-day: December 2__nd__, 2012, Sodor University_

_7:30 A.M._

Loud rock music caused Thomas to jolt awake, knocking over his cell phone in the process. Quickly, he picked it up, opened it and turned off the alarm, this time making sure it was off. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he said, "Thank goodness this is the last time I'll be getting up THIS early." He then went over to his closet, got his clothes for the day, and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

_Hey there. The name's Thomas, and I'm a student at Sodor University. I'm majoring in engineering, since I'm what you might call a hand on guy. I love tinkering with metal and other things. Later on, I'll probably head to the military. Or build my own weapons. Whichever one, I know I'm going to enjoy it._

We then see Thomas already dressed in his clothes, standing in front of the mirror checking himself. He is a short, average-sized man with a handsome face, a shock of black hair and light blue eyes. Wearing a sweater with the school's logo on it, along with a dress shirt underneath, he gives off the image of being a bookworm-but in reality, he's definitely not awkward.

Thomas soon walks down the hall to find that his roommate, Toby, is already at the table, eating a bowl of cereal. Toby has medium brown hair, dark brown eyes and has a square face-nothing stunning, but nothing terrible either-and is noticeably smaller than Thomas. He's fully dressed, giving one the impression that he was an early riser- which isn't terribly far from the truth.

"Guess I didn't wake up early enough," Thomas teased.

"Very funny, Thomas. Don't forget that we do have to leave in ten minutes," Toby said, finishing his cereal.

_This is Toby, my roommate. We actually knew each other back in high school, but didn't really get to know each other until freshman year in college. Toby is, unlike me, a complete nerd, but he's a great pal to have around. Besides, I know I can always count on him during test time. _

"I know, Toby, I know." Thomas grabbed a bagel, and started eating it. "I'm glad that this semester is finally going to end. It's like nothing but an increase in work."

"I'll say. I don't mind studying, but even I need to take a break once in a while," Toby said. He finished his cereal, got up to wash his bowl and put it in the dish rack. "Next week is going to be super busy since we have semester finals coming up."

"And the first few start today," Thomas groaned. He grabbed several of his books, which included history, trigonometry and chemistry. Toby had only a history book and a chem book, since they were in the same classes.

"Come on, let's go. We're probably late as it is. Study hall's only open for about an hour," Toby said.

"I know, I know," Thomas said, and after making sure that he had his keys and wallet, he and Toby rushed out the door. Before bolting down the hall, Thomas ran back and locked the door.

"Toby, wait up!" he yelled as he turned away from the door and rushed towards the steps.

It was at that moment that a bright green light flooded the window in the lobby of the building. Thomas stopped mid-sprint, shocked at what he saw. After a few moments, the light disappeared, and a blond man fell out of the sky, completely lifeless. Thomas rushed over to the window, trying to see if he could catch another glimpse of the man. The only thing he heard, however, was a loud crash and a thud.

Thomas was so engrossed in what he had just seen that he didn't even hear the loud footsteps pounding up the stairs until the emergency door burst open. He turned around to see Toby standing there, breathing heavily, his face full of shock and worry.

"Thomas, did you just see what I just saw?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yes, Toby, I did. I think the guy's hurt or something," Thomas said. "We should go and check on him to make sure he's not hurt."

"But we're going to miss study hall!" Toby said.

"Toby, a random guy falling out of the sky is more important than study hall! We have to go and check on him! He could be seriously injured!" Thomas replied.

Toby looked unsure, but sighed and nodded anyway. "Alright, Thomas. But if you don't pass today's exam, don't blame me," he said.

The two ran down the stairwell and out the door, making a right to turn into the alley where they had seen the flash. Sure enough, the man was lying there in a heap of knocked over trash cans. He wore a green and cream tunic over a pair of tan pants, a dark brown T-shirt, a tan cape, cut-off gloves, and tan boots. He looked like he'd just come from another world.

"Where…where the heck did this guy come from?" Toby asked, more to himself than Thomas. Thomas didn't answer, though, for the blond man started to stir. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking several times before finally settling on Thomas.

"P-Please, sir…I need help…" the man said weakly, reaching out to Thomas with his right hand. "Before…they come and get me…"

"W-Who's trying to come and get you?" Thomas asked warily. "The police?"

"No…they're far worse. Diesel 10's Counts are after me because I have something that they need. If you don't help me…they might kill you as well," the man said.

Toby's eyes looked ready to pop out of his skull, while Thomas stood there in horror. Before he could ask anything more, the man's eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted on the trash bins. Waking up from their shocked stupor, Thomas ordered, "Toby, you get one side, and I'll get the other!"

As they lifted the unconscious man and started to carry him inside the dorms, Thomas shook his head in disbelief. At this rate, they'd never make it to their exam room on time! He started to wonder if he should've taken Toby's advice and left him alone. But that wouldn't have been the right thing to do. A million things could happen to someone like him, and Thomas didn't want him to die out there in the cold.

_That was the beginning of all this. I wasn't planning on having a day off from college, especially on exam day. But the minute that guy crashed into the alley, life as I knew it vanished in the blink of an eye. As I found out later, this was only the beginning…_

* * *

Above the town of Tidmouth, a large man sat on top of one of the buildings, overlooking the city. He was dressed in a baby blue jacket outlined with grey armor plates, and wore a white tank top underneath it. He also wore dark blue jeans and metal boots, and in his right hand he held a sword. At first glance, it looked to be made of plastic, but it was known to shatter other weapons with one blow. His dark blue eyes were focused on a bronze orb he held in his hand, which gave him a full layout of the city.

Technically speaking, he wasn't supposed to be on active duty at the moment; he was on his monthly holiday, and had decided to spend his time on the island of Sodor. The moment he received word about Percy's whereabouts, he found himself cutting his vacation shorter than he expected. Now, his main job was to find Percy, capture him and bring the pages back to his boss. The boss would figure out what to do with him, along with Edward.

At last, he found something. The green dot in the middle of town indicated that Percy was there, and by the looks of it, it was at the student dormitories for Sodor University. Also, from what he could tell, Percy's magic was nearly gone, which would only make his capture easier.

The orb disappeared from Gordon's hand, and he stood up, ready to get into action. His Device, Levantine, glowed in his hands.

"_Target is located several miles away from the university. Location is inside the dorms,"_ Levantine said.

"Right. Let's finish this quickly, Levantine," Gordon replied.

"_Yes sir."_

_This is almost too easy, _Gordon thought as he took off for the dorms. _I'll have the pages back in no time. And when he sees that I've blown his little plan out of the water, Edward's going to be in for a real shocker before D-10 deals with him._

**Next act:**

Thomas: Geez, what a way to start the day, huh? Meeting a random guy falling out of the sky…

Percy (groaning): You…you're the guy who took me in?

Thomas: Yeah! And I have a whole bunch of questions to ask you. First off, why did you suddenly show up falling out of the sky?

Percy: Well, first off, my name is Percy, and I'm a mage from another world.

Thomas: Oh, that makes perfect se-wait, what?

(At D-10's headquarters)

Diesel 10: Ah, Edward. It's wonderful to see you again. It's been a long time since you were kicked out of our ranks.

Edward (irritated): Quit kissing up, Diesel 10. You know exactly why I _left _your ranks.

Diesel 10: What I want to know is, why did you steal the pages of the Book?

Edward: I'll die before I tell why I did it.

Diesel 10: Alright. I can arrange that.

(Back at the Island of Sodor, where Gordon has just shown up)

Thomas: Whoa, who are you?

Gordon: My name is Gordon, the Blazing General of Fire, and that's the last name you'll ever hear in your life.

_Stay tuned for Act 2: The Transformation!_

_**To be clear, this is completely different from how I wanted the original story to go. Edward was going to be the main character, but I changed it to Thomas instead. Also, Charlie and Percy were supposed to be the main characters, but Charlie's going to show up later in the story while I made Percy one of the main stars.**_

_**So, Henry, James and Gordon are the Counts, who work for Diesel 10 (the reason for that will be explained later in the story). Edward's history with these guys will be explained next act as well, and we get to see some very surprising events. **_

_**Please read and review this story. I'd love to see what you guys think of this.**_

_**God bless, iheartgod175**_


	2. Act 2: The Transformation

_(The Society of Darkness, Diesel 10's headquarters)_

Diesel 10's headquarters was nicknamed as 'No Man's Land' by many a mage in the Dream Dimension, and for good reason. People who got sent here, or had the guts to even work here for a living, usually disappeared within months. The place was filled to the brim with dangerous people: street punks with bad attitudes, outlaws, troublemakers, and the three Counts, not to mention Diesel 10 himself. Woe came upon anyone who happened to be captured by the Counts, for Diesel 10 was known to be merciless to everyone, especially prisoners.

Inside his jail cell, Edward began thinking of ways to get out of there. James' immobilization spell had worn off, but its effects were still heavy on him; he could barely use his magic, and one attack would make him completely useless. For now, he'd have to find a way to outsmart his captors on his own.

As if on cue, the door to his cell opened, and a rough looking guard walked in. He scowled at Edward, who returned it with a cool gaze of his own.

"The boss wants to see you. Says you know something about those pages," he said gruffly. Without waiting for him to answer, the guard roughly dragged Edward to his feet, forced his arms behind his back, and placed the handcuffs on his wrists.

"Don't even think of trying anything funny on me. You do, and I'm gonna rearrange your face," the guard said.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of doing something like that," Edward replied dryly. The guard grunted something about him being a smart aleck, and shoved him out the door.

As he was being forced to march towards Diesel 10's headquarters, Edward sent up a small prayer. _God, please watch over Percy._

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

This Chapter: July 15th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: Seeing as some people like this story, here's the next chapter for ya! Enjoy!

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 2: The Transformation

_Present day: December 2nd, 2012, Sodor University Dorms_

Thomas continued to drum impatiently on the table. He was anxious to get to class and take his exams, otherwise he'd have to make them up on a vacation day. He looked over at the unconscious Percy, who was currently occupying the couch. Toby had put a blanket over him, and his suitcase was resting in the armchair.

"When is this guy going to wake up? At this rate, I'll have to take my exams on vacation day!" Thomas groaned, holding his head in his hands.

"I'm surprised you actually want to take your exams for once." Toby was in the kitchen, getting an ice pack from the freezer. He went over to Percy and placed the bag of ice on his head. A knot was starting to form on the left side of it. "But you have to be patient. Besides, it was your idea to pick up the guy and bring him back."

"Well, we couldn't just leave him there!" Thomas said.

"When he wakes up, we can ask him where he came from and how he created that green light," Toby said. He then looked over at the suitcase. "He seemed to be in quite a hurry, though…"

"I might as well get something else to eat while we're waiting. Didn't have much to eat anyway." Thomas got up to head into the kitchen to get some pretzels, and it was then that Percy started shouting. Toby nearly jumped off the couch and Thomas sped back into the living room.

"Edward, HELP!" he screamed. Immediately, Thomas started shaking him to get him to snap out of it.

"Hey, calm down!" he said. At once, the blond man opened his eyes, and he stopped shouting, gasping for air. His green eyes focused on Thomas and Toby, who were staring at him with shocked expressions.

"Are you okay, man?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah. Where exactly am I?" he replied.

"You're in the college dorms of Sodor University, pal," Toby said. "That was quite an entrance you made, falling out of the sky in a beam of light."

"Sodor University?" Percy repeated. Then at once, it clicked. "That's right! Edward told me to teleport here!"

Thomas and Toby stared at him as if he'd just come from the moon. "Um, okay…first things first, who are you and where in the world did you come from?" Toby asked, wanting to get straight to the point.

"My name's Percy. You may think I'm absolutely crazy, but I'm not from here," Percy explained.

"Oh, we can tell," Thomas muttered.

"What I mean by that is that I'm not from Earth. I'm a mage from an alternate dimension," Percy replied. "And I'm on the run from an enemy in my world."

Thomas responded to Percy's explanation by bursting out laughing. Percy looked bewildered and confused, while Toby shot him a warning look.

"That's rich! What else are you going to tell me, the suitcase contains a dangerous artifact or something?" Thomas said in between laughing.

"…You could say that," Percy said. His face was clear of laughter. Toby nudged Thomas hard in the ribs, which made him stop laughing.

"Geez, Toby, you didn't have to hit me that hard!" Thomas said. He turned to Percy, who was staring at him with an incredulous look. "Sorry, but what you just told me sounded so ridiculous I had to laugh."

Percy's face exploded with red in anger. "Well then, I guess there's no point in trying to explain where that beam of light came from, if you think that everything I'm saying is made up!" he said.

"Hey, I'm just being serious! What you were saying sounds like it came straight out of a TV show!" Thomas said.

"Well, think again! Maybe I should've told you that there's somebody after me, and he could kill you too, if you knew what he was after!" Percy said.

Those words alone made Thomas stop cold. Toby stared at Percy, shocked, and the small man flushed with embarrassment.

"…Okay, let's calm down, and explain everything carefully," Toby said. Percy sighed, calming down. Likewise, Thomas sat on the other side of the couch, too angry to look at Percy.

"Okay. Like I said before, I'm a mage from another world-specifically another dimension, called the Dream Dimension. It's a realm that you can't see, but you can get there through portals, and if you have magic powers, you can teleport there. We mages are very peaceful people, although we won't hesitate to get into fights if we have to.

"My friend and mentor, Edward, had recently discovered a powerful tome called the Book of Transformation. It's the most powerful item in the Dream Dimension, capable of granting wishes to those who hold it. Word got around like wildfire, and soon it came to the attention of Diesel 10. Diesel 10 is the leader of an evil society that wants to take over everything in the Dream Dimension, and his goal has been ultimate power. When he got his hands on the book, Edward realized that unless he did something, Diesel 10 would use the Book of Transformation to destroy the Dream Dimension. So, he did something drastic."

"And what exactly was that?" Toby asked.

"He ripped out seven pages of the book. And these weren't just random ones either; he ripped out the ones that were extremely important and needed to grant the wish Diesel 10 wants," Percy explained.

"That was smart on his part, but also reckless. Don't you think he'd be caught by the police?" Thomas asked, now joining in the conversation.

"The police in the Dream Dimension are beyond useless. Diesel 10 actually knew it was Edward when he noticed the duplicates of the pages, which Edward had stashed inside the book. He sent out his three warriors, called the Counts, to go after him. They pretty much are the police, and are they scary," Percy said. "You don't ever want to run into them, especially when they're trying to look for criminals."

"But if Edward stole the pages, how did you get involved in this?" Toby asked.

"Edward is a pretty powerful mage, but he only knows two teleportation spells and one healing spell. I happen to know a lot about defensive strategies. He'd explained what he'd done, and said that he was leaving the Dream Dimension and was going to go into hiding. I refused to let him go by himself, and I said that he could take me along in case his plan didn't work," Percy said. "That was three days ago. James and Henry, two of the Counts, caught up with us. Edward ended up getting captured, and I had to escape with the pages. I also had to use the rest of my remaining magic to teleport here, since I'm not that powerful of a mage."

"So, where are these pages?" Thomas asked.

"They're in that suitcase. I wouldn't touch it if I were you. Nobody but a mage can hold the Book, or even its pages. Those who try get burned out of existence," Percy warned.

Toby put his arms up in surrender. He was about to go over to the armchair to get the suitcase. "If that's the case, keep that thing away from me," he said.

"If it's not too much of a problem, I need to stay here in your dorm until I regain my full strength," Percy said. "I never did get your names."

"Oh, my name's Thomas. The midget's name is Toby," Thomas said. Toby made a face at that last statement.

"Thanks for taking me in guys," Percy said. "I'm glad you understand what I'm going through."

"For the record, I have no idea what in the world is going on," Thomas said. "But for the most part, I sort of understand."

"I hope our teacher 'sort of understands' that we'll have to take our make- up exams on a holiday," Toby said. "I know you're happy to hear that, Thomas, since you pulled an all-nighter last night."

"Yeah…well, that's one bad thing that's happened today. I'm glad nothing serious has come up," Thomas said.

It was at that moment that a robotic female voice came into the fray. _"Caution! Emergency!"_

Thomas and Toby almost jumped out of their skin hearing that. Percy reached over the couch and picked up the suitcase, turning it over to the front, and opening the front pouch. He reached inside and pulled out a red jewel.

_"Caution! Emergency!" _the jewel repeated again. Before Percy could ask what was going on, the room was suddenly coated in an amber color. His senses tingled when he recognized what it was.

"What's up with this?" Thomas shouted.

"A barrier? Here?" Percy pondered aloud.

"Okay, I'm officially freaked out now," Toby said, ready to take off running.

_"Communications are down. Someone is approaching this area," _the jewel replied. At this, Percy threw off the covers and grabbed his suitcase.

"I'm sorry, you two, but you'll have to come with me," Percy said. "We need to move out of here fast. If that person is going to attack anyone, it's going to be me."

"And if we get caught in the crossfire?" Toby pondered aloud.

"I'll think of something when it comes to it," Percy explained. "Right now, we need to move."

* * *

_Society of Darkness, 9:40 A.M._

"ANSWER ME!" Diesel 10 roared, and a guard swung a punch at Edward's face. It connected, busting open his nose and his lips. Blood dribbled down his chin and fell to the floor. Despite this brutal beating, Edward didn't cry out in pain. He looked up at Diesel 10, who gave him a contemptuous stare.

For the past hour, Diesel 10 had put him in an interrogation center, asking him questions about the Book of Transformation and the whereabouts of Percy. No matter what threat and punch he received, Edward remained silent. At last, Diesel 10 had given up this method, and held up his hand to stop the guard from punching Edward again.

"Why won't you answer a single question I ask you, Edward? You used to be so cooperative before, when you were a member of the Counts," he said.

"That was before you became the chief of this establishment and started turning everything upside down," Edward said at last. "You of all people should know why I worked under you."

"Of course. You needed the money, as did Henry, Gordon and James. I provided you with a good salary didn't I?" Diesel 10 walked up towards Edward, and used his clawed hand to tilt his face up so he could look at him. Edward could take a beating-several in fact. That fact had been proven many times during the fights that Edward had been in in his younger days, where he had been a bit more reckless and less controlled. No matter what injury he had, he had taken it on in stride. If only he were still a member of the Counts…

However, that wasn't the point of this. Diesel 10 removed his hand from Edward's face and went over to his desk. On it sat a large book that had a brown cover on top and a golden cross. Diesel 10 picked it up and brought it over to Edward, opening it to where seven of the pages had been ripped from it. He showed the torn edges to Edward, who looked away uneasily.

"I know you were the one who did it. Who else could spend hours doing exact replicas of the most important pages of the Book of Transformation, down to the last detail?" Diesel 10 scowled. "Why did you steal the pages of the book, Edward? Were you trying to use the book for your own use?"

Edward actually gave him a death glare. "I did it to keep it away from _you. _When Percy and I found the book, we gave it away to the Dimensional Institute, and got a huge sum of money for it. I was planning to retire from the Counts anyway, as I had told James and Gordon before. Then, a couple of months after you became president, I learned that the Book of Transformation was gone…and you had stolen it."

"I was only going to research it," Diesel 10 said, but Edward knew he was lying. Diesel 10, like everyone else who wanted that artifact, had done his research on the book for several years. _He could've come up with a better excuse,_ Edward thought to himself.

"Since you hired me to be your VP, I got to attend several of your meetings that you held with the others. Diesel, 'Arry and Bert- you knew a whole lot of shady people. You thought I didn't hear, but I overheard all of your plans," Edward said.

"And since you're so smart, why don't you tell me what exactly you heard from those meetings?" Diesel 10 wore a dangerous smile that told Edward just how angry he was.

"You were planning on ruling the world, Diesel 10- the Dream Dimension's filled with a bunch of weak idiots, so it'd be easy to control them. Seven of the pages in the book not only allow you to grant this wish, but you can also use it to warp reality itself. The seven pages allow you to control whatever you want, when you want," Edward said. "And you, Diesel 10, want to become the most powerful emperor in the world. For that reason, I left the Counts…and for that reason, I stole the pages of the book, to keep you from bringing the Dream Dimension under your maniacal rule."

That officially did it for Diesel 10. "Well, now that you've known everything I've done, I'll have no choice but to destroy you!" he said. His claw began to churn with power, until the claw was replaced by a deadly spinning drill.

Edward gulped, but then he realized that he was bound to the chair with ropes. If he could move the moment Diesel 10 decided to strike…

"You're finished, old man!" Diesel 10 roared and charged for Edward. Seconds before impact, Edward jerked to the right, allowing the ropes to be freed. Before D-10 could stop, the drill plowed straight through the ropes and the chair, breaking it into pieces. Edward jumped back as Diesel 10's drill plowed straight into the floor. The evil overlord struggled to get free as Edward took off running.

A couple of guards saw him, but Edward quickly halted their reactions with a quick left hook to the faces of each one. One guard had managed to hit the alarm, and the sirens blared throughout the building as Edward made his escape.

Behind him, the footsteps became a thunder as many muscular guards came running after Edward. Thinking quickly, he made a left to head for the emergency exit-and ran straight into Henry and James, who had just come up from the elevator. James' eyes widened in shock.

"He's escaping!" James wasted no time in summoning Graf Eisen and charging. Edward made a quick dash to the right, and James zipped right past him. He collided into a guard who shrugged him off like a doll. Before Edward could make a move, he heard the click of a gun behind him. He didn't have to look behind him to see that it was Henry who held him at gunpoint. The guards all stopped, pointing their weapons.

"You're surrounded, Edward. Don't even think of trying to escape!" James said, recovering from the collision. Edward realized that unless he used what was remaining of his magic now, he was never going to get out of here alive.

"Alright, you win." Edward held his hands up in surrender. "I guess that's the end of my _vanishing _act."

James smirked. "About time you give up, old man. Seize him." Several of the guards who carried electrostaffs walked over to him, menacing scowls on their faces.

Edward smirked. Before the guards could react, Edward threw open his palm, a blue orb appearing in it. James and Henry stared in shock.

"W-What in the world?" James asked.

_"Vanish!" _A bright flash entered the room then, forcing everyone to cover their eyes due to the brightness. When the light had subsided, Edward was nowhere to be seen. Everyone looked around, confused.

"Where did he go?!" The demand came from their boss, who had finally pulled himself from the floor. His sunken eyes contorted with rage.

"I don't know! He pretty much vanished into thin air!" Henry said.

"Find him, and bring him to me! He won't get away with this!" Diesel 10 clenched his clawed fist to emphasize his point.

"Yes sir!" everyone said, and split up in many directions to try and find Edward. Once everyone was gone, Diesel 10 turned and stormed back towards his office, fuming.

_He got away before I could begin the process on him…oh, well. There's always next time._

* * *

Down in the basement of the building, Edward gasped, relieved that he had barely made it with still enough magic in him to fight. He leaned against the wall, listening for any signs of guards that were still in the area. No doubt Diesel 10 had sent an entire army of them after him. His device, S2U, glowed in his hand.

_"Sixteen seconds until contact, boss,"_ the Device said. Edward grimaced when he heard that. That meant that they weren't that far behind after all.

"I need more time to get out of here," he muttered.

_"Don't worry. There's a teleportation machine a few yards to your left." _Edward turned and saw a large machine that looked like it'd been used recently. That would explain how they seemed to get from place to place so quickly. Edward ran over to the machine and started to boot it up, randomly hitting buttons. He entered the dimensional codes for the Island of Sodor, and waited impatiently for the machine to start up.

All of a sudden, there was a huge crash above him, and Edward jumped against the machine as an entire stairway came crashing down on the spot he had just been standing on. Smoke filled the area, and beside him, the computer beeped.

**"Dimensional coordinates recognized. Preparing to take off in 10 seconds."**

James leaped out of the smoke, looking ready to bash Edward's brains in with his croquet mallet. Behind him, there were an entourage of guards with shock sticks and other various weapons.

"Unless you want to suffer a fate worse than death, old man, then you'd better give up!" he said. Edward didn't respond at first, but only created a small energy beam from his device.

"Sorry, James, but I have no intention on staying here!" Edward said. _"Break Impulse!"_

Before anyone could react, Edward swung S2U down on the keyboard for the machine, and leaped inside of the tube just as the beam was about to leave. James made a move to run after him, but at that moment, the spell Edward had used did its job, blowing up the computer and the machine at once. A blazing inferno forced everyone back, and James had to put up a shield to protect himself from all the flying hot metal.

There were pounding footsteps heard above, and soon, Henry appeared overhead. "James, Diesel 10 wants to know what happened!" he said.

James' response was low and dangerous. "He got away. He even blew up the machine he'd used to escape. Now, we've got to track him down on the Island of Sodor."

At once, Diesel 10's hologram appeared on one of the screens in the room. He looked furious. If anything, he looked ready to seriously hurt James for letting Edward escape.

_"The moment you clean up the mess you made in the basement, I want you two to head to the Island of Sodor and track him and Percy down. I want those pages, and I want those two _alive!_" _he yelled angrily. Then his image disappeared, and the guards scattered to get to work before Diesel 10 suddenly showed up to issue the orders…as he usually did.

James marched away from the wreckage, leaving the guards to clean it up. His grip on Graf Eisen tightened until it vibrated from the force, and his face was set into an angry scowl.

"You just wait, Edward. When I finally get to you, I'm going to show you what fear is before you die."

* * *

Thomas was the first to make to the roof of the dorms, and gasped as he finally got to the door. He was a fast runner, but it was still very tiring. He looked up to see the sky. It was still the same amber color as it had been back in the rooms. There were a few pounding footsteps behind him, and soon Percy and Toby arrived. Percy was carrying the suitcase, and Toby leaned against the door, exhausted.

"What's….what's going on?" he breathed.

"Someone I know is out here. It has to be one of the Counts!" Percy said, looking around frantically. No one was in sight, but soon the red jewel that Percy was holding began to speak again.

_"There's an incoming attack!" _All three looked up to see a plume of fire fly in their direction, seeming to grow larger as it came closer. Percy jumped in front of Thomas and put up a magical shield, and the plume of fire crashed into it. Due to his magic not fully recovering, the shield was easily destroyed and a massive explosion of smoke occurred. Thomas and Percy were thrown backwards, and Toby nearly fell down the stairs when they crashed into him.

A figure began to walk through the smoke cloud. He was dressed in a baby blue jacket outlined with grey armor plates, and wore a white tank top underneath it. He also wore dark blue jeans and metal boots, and in his right hand he held a sword. He wore a keychain with the number 4 on it.

Thomas glared at the larger man. "Just what the heck was that for?!" he shouted, really tipped off.

The large man merely pointed his single-edged sword at Thomas, and this caused Thomas to step back. At first glance, it looked to be made of plastic, but the way the man was looking at him showed otherwise.

"Do you realize just who you are speaking to?" the man asked angrily. "I have come here for Percy, the blond mage who's holding something I want. Let him come with me, and I won't hurt you."

"You really think I'll let Percy go with you? You nearly killed him with that fire attack of yours, you jerkoff!" Thomas said. "And I already know what's in the suitcase, and I know that you're one of the bad guys. So there's no way I'm letting you have this."

The color of Gordon's eyes darkened like thunderclouds. He raised his sword. A single cartridge was shunted into it, and fire began to appear on the blade. At that instant, Thomas lost his bravado, and he, Percy and Toby stepped back.

"Who are you?" Toby mustered up the courage to ask.

"My name is Gordon, the Blazing General of Fire, and that's the last name you'll ever hear in your life."

_"Flaming Phoenix," _Levantine called, and Gordon swung the sword downward, creating a plume of fire that surged through the roof and sped towards the boys. Before Thomas could react, Percy threw up a shield in front of him, but it shattered like it was glass. The explosion from the contact threw Percy against the wall of exit, and his suitcase went flying out of his hands.

"PERCY!" Toby yelled, while Thomas went to rescue the suitcase from falling off the roof of the dorms. Gordon wasn't finished yet, as he started to charge yet another deadly fire attack.

"Thomas, DON'T!" Percy yelled as Thomas' fingers grasped the suitcase…

…and stared in shock as nothing happened to him. There was no way in the world that Thomas could hold the pages of the Book, as he was an ordinary human being. Unless he had some sort of magical ability…

"Give me that suitcase!" Gordon charged for Thomas then, and Thomas swerved to the right just as Gordon slammed his sword into the building. Soon, Thomas went over to where Toby and Percy.

"Percy, are you alright?" he asked.

"I-I'll be fine. However, I need you to help me!" Percy said urgently. "You…you were able to touch the suitcase with the pages of the Book of Transformation. That means you must have some magical abilities in you."

"Are you kidding me? I can't even do simple magic tricks! What makes you think-"

"There's not a lot of time, Thomas! I'm sorry about this, but you're gonna have to use the powers that I carry with me!" Percy said. The three had to dart to the side as Gordon attempted to slam them into the building again.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Thomas asked.

"Take this!" Percy handed him the red jewel that had been giving them warnings all day. "This is a Device, which is a magical weapon that majority of mages wield. I'll explain more later," Percy said when Thomas was about to ask a question. "I need you to close your eyes, and focus on what I have to say. Then I want you to repeat every word."

"Wait a sec, what am I supposed to do?" Toby asked.

"Distract Gordon for me!" Percy ordered. Toby then took off running, and Gordon gave chase. Percy then turned his attention back to Thomas.

"Ready, Thomas?"

"Um, I guess so?"

"Okay. I, who has accepted this mission, upon the ancient contract, command you to release your power. Wind in the sky…Stars in the heavens…and a resolute heart beats in my chest!"

"Umm…I, who has accepted this mission, upon the ancient contract, command you to release your power. Wind in the sky, stars in the heavens, and a resolute heart beats in my chest!"

As Thomas repeated every phrase, the red jewel began to glow in his hands. From it, it also sounded like a faint heartbeat was coming from it.

"This magic in my hand-Raising Heart, Set up!" By this time, both Thomas and Percy were in sync with the phrases. Soon, the jewel began to glow so brightly, it caused Gordon and Toby to stop and see what was going on.

Thomas stared at the jewel in shock. "W-What the heck is happening here?" he gasped.

"Alright, Thomas, now that you've activated that thing, you have to come up with your Device form and your Barrier Jacket!" Percy said.

"Dude, I have absolutely no idea what's going on! What's a Barrier Jacket?!" Thomas yelled.

"A Barrier Jacket is the armor that will protect your body, and the Device form is what will allow you to use your magic powers," Percy said. "In order to get both, you have to picture both images in your head!"

"Geez, you're asking me to do fifty different things all at once!" Thomas complained, but shut his eyes anyway. At once, a form began to come to him. It was a white-and-pink staff capped by a red jewel suspended within a partial gold ring with two exhaust valves. Deciding that was too girly looking, Thomas added several blue parts to the neck and tail of the staff body.

For his suit, he imagined a blue and red jacket, a white shirt and dark blue pants with matching shoes. For his keychain, he wore the number 1 on it. Opening his eyes, he said, "I think that'll do for now!"

_"Standby ready, set up," _Raising Heart called, and a massive pink beam of light shot into the sky, bursting straight through the barrier. Gordon, Percy and Toby all watched the scene in awe.

"Such powerful magic…" Percy gasped.

Next act:

Percy: I'd say it's a success!

Thomas (freaking out): Holy cow! What the heck's going on?!

James: Edward can't possibly have enough magic to fight us. I beat him to a pulp the last time we fought.

Henry: Don't judge Edward by his age, James. He's full of surprises. (sees beam of light shooting into the sky) Wha…what in the world?!

Edward (who has suddenly appeared behind Gordon and put him in a binding spell): Pick on someone your own size for once, Gordon.

Gordon: _You…_

_Stay tuned for Act 3: Sky Dancing!_

**_In case you're wondering, I am going to watch the remainder of the original Nanoha series and make it as close to the original as possible. Plus, Thomas' magic color is going to change later. Also, Edward's not REALLY old...he's in his fifties or so. James and D-10 don't seem to care, though...  
_**

**_Next chapter, Edward comes back, and a very shocking twist occurs…you don't want to miss it!_**

**_Read and review!_**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


	3. Act 3: Sky Dancing

Thomas threw Raising Heart into the air, and it shone a bright red color. The light began to cover his clothes, which soon formed the main body of his uniform. Raising Heart then started to transform into its Device mode by summoning the gold parts needed to create the head of the body, and a long staff extended from the head. Several magic circles appeared to form the blue parts on the head and the tail of the staff body. Thomas reached up and grabbed his new weapon, and immediately blue strings attached to his upper body, creating his jacket. The same blue strings attached to his feet, creating his metal boots. After a few more details were made to his pants and jacket (which included the keychain), Thomas grabbed his new weapon, and spun around before striking a confident pose.

Soon, the bright light disappeared, and Thomas came down to the ground. Everyone stared at him in complete shock and surprise. He looked much different than from before.

"I'd say that this was a success!" Percy said triumphantly. As soon as he said those words, though, Thomas snapped out of his trance and started freaking out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the heck just happened to me?!" Thomas yelled, looking at himself over and over again. Percy groaned, and Toby promptly face palmed.

"Dude, really?"

Gordon's mouth turned upwards into a cruel smirk as he realized just where this was going. Since he was a beginner mage, there was no way in the world he could beat him. He'd have the pages back in no time. He then turned to Thomas, Levantine blazing with fire.

"Let's take care of him, Levantine!" he said.

_"Yes, my master," _the device replied.

Thomas shook his head in shock. "Oh man, oh man, oh man!" he muttered. This was not going to be an easy fight.

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

This Chapter: July 18th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: Our next Act is going to be full of all sorts of surprises! I hope you enjoy~!

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 3: Sky Dancing

On the other side of the city, a blue light fell out of the sky, and Edward jumped out of the hole, landing on the ground. Quickly, he applied a Flier Fin to steady himself in the air. He sighed when he realized that nobody had bothered to follow him. However, that didn't mean that he wasn't going to be tracked down. Surely, Henry and James would be on their way to find him and kill him. After the little stunt he'd just pulled, there was no chance that he was going to stay alive if they captured him again.

It was just then that he noticed the amber color of the sky. He looked up, and grimaced. Percy was here, and judging by the barrier surrounding the city, Gordon was here as well. Hopefully, there weren't any normal civilians involved…

And then, he saw it. A pink beam of light had gone straight through the barrier, leaving a large hole in it. Just as fast, the beam disappeared. It would be visible to anyone outside the city, so if something happened, Edward could call for back up.

But, who in the world would have pink as their magic color?

Deciding that he would find out when he got there, Edward takes off for the building where he saw the pink light, hoping that he can find out what happened to Percy before it was too late.

* * *

Gordon rushed forward, attempting to cut Thomas in half with a downward cut. "This is the end for you, newbie!" he yelled, and Levantine loaded two more cartridges as the fire attack grew larger.

Thomas threw out Raising Heart, desperate for a shield that would protect him from the deadly attack. All of a sudden, Raising Heart said, _"Protection,"_ and a bright pink shield surrounded Thomas just as Gordon collided into the shield. Despite the massive pressure, the shield held up. Gordon jumped backwards, having run out of cartridges, and Thomas' shield disappeared.

"Thomas, that was great! You just managed to use one of your two types of magic: defending. In order to attack, you'll have to focus your energy into your Device," Percy said.

"Um, what kind of magic can this thing use?" Thomas asked.

"Raising Heart is a Device programmed for shooting and bombardment magic; in other words, you'll be seeing a lot of explosions. However, that's only if you train really well," Percy explained.

"How come you couldn't use this?"

"Have you seen the shields I've put up for you? I'm only good in defensive spells, although I know two or three offensive moves," Percy said. "Anyway, close your eyes and focus on what kind of attack you want to use. It usually helps if you do that."

"Oh, alright." Thomas closed his eyes again, and started to think of what attack that he was going to use. He imagined eight spheres of energy surrounding him and flying at Gordon. Opening his eyes, he pointed Raising Heart at the Count, who stared at him in surprise.

"What are you going to do, hurt me?" Gordon taunted. Thomas didn't answer, but smirked upon seeing Gordon stare at him in shock when eight spheres of energy surrounded him.

_"Divine Shooter,"_ Raising Heart called, and all eight beams went flying straight for Gordon. The Sword Count had no time to react as he was hit by the attack. A huge cloud of smoke covered the area where he was standing. Thomas stared at this in shock.

"Whoa…did I really just do that?" Thomas asked himself. His wonder was short lived; however, as one powerful swing from the Sword Count threw him off balance. Thomas stared up at Gordon, whose eyes darkened with rage.

"You're going to pay for that, you little pipsqueak!" he yelled, and was about to grab Thomas by his shirt collar when Raising Heart took control of the situation again.

_"Flier Fin." _Immediately, pink wings sprouted from Thomas' shoes, and the confused mage wasted no time in taking to the air just as Gordon was about to drive him through the building. A plume of smoke several stories high hovered under Thomas.

"W-Whoa! I can fly!" Thomas gasped. Just then, he turned to see Gordon rush up to meet him, sword on fire. The Sword Count looked ready to slam him into the nearest building.

"Um, Percy, what should I do?!" Thomas yelled.

_"Thomas, you can hear me, right?" _Percy's voice resounded through his head. _"Since you're a mage now, you can now telepathically communicate with me."_

_"Oh, well that's great and all, but can you help me fight against Gordon? He looks ready to charge."_

_"Right. Make sure that you don't lose focus. Like I said before, concentrate on what you need to do. I'll be up there to help you in a moment." _And that was the end of their conversation. Thomas turned his attention towards Gordon, who was reloading Levantine with additional cartridges.

"When I'm done with you, you'll regret ever holding that staff," Gordon boomed. Levantine glowed a light purple in response to this.

Thomas smirked. "Not unless you can catch me first, Gordon," he said, and before Gordon could say anything, Thomas took off for the massive maze of the downtown area. Gordon promptly gave chase, charging a massive plume of fire on his sword.

Thomas in the meantime began to charge another Divine Shooter. He whipped around and fired the shots, all of them speeding towards Gordon. The Sword Count merely moved over to the side, but Thomas sent the bullets flying towards his right side. Gordon quickly put out a shield to protect himself from the entourage of bullets, but a couple more came around and hit him in the back. An explosion of smoke of occurred, and soon Thomas started to take off. No sooner had he done this, however, Gordon came flying out of the smoke cloud, enraged.

"Now I'll show you! _Flying Dragon Flash!" _he screamed, and swung downwards, sending a massive torrent of fire towards Thomas. Thomas threw out Raising Heart in front of him to shield himself, but the attack sliced through it like it was wet tissue. He hurtled towards the ground, completely defenseless.

All of a sudden, Percy screamed inside his head, _"Use your Flier Fin!"_ Thinking fast, Thomas activated his flight maneuver, and glared at Gordon.

"You're going to pay for that, you jerk!" Thomas said. "If only I had a way I could shoot him down…" Then he remembered what Percy had told him about creating attacks. Focusing, he imagined a great beam of light thundering forward and hitting Gordon head on. He then turned to Raising Heart. "Raising Heart, can you use the shooting spell that I just created?"

_"If that is what you desire, my master," _the Device stated. _"Converting to Shooting Mode."_

At once, the circle head dematerialized, and reappeared as two fork shaped prongs with the red orb in the middle. Before Thomas could even start to attack, Gordon charged, ready to cut his head off.

Thomas made a mad dash to the left, narrowly missing Gordon's swing. Realizing he had to be at a farther distance, he flew all the way to the other side, about twenty feet away from Gordon. Pointing his new Device at the Count, Thomas began to pour every ounce of magic in him as he started to charge his attack. A massive pink sphere of energy began to form in front of him, surrounded by several magic rings.

Gordon was, for lack of a better word, shocked. "What the-"

_"Divine Buster!" _Thomas yelled, and soon the massive beam of light thundered forward at rapid speeds. Gordon slowed down to a grinding halt, but before he could dodge out of the way, he was hit head on by the attack. A huge explosion occurred then, and Thomas was left hovering in the air as Raising Heart let off steam from its exhaust valves.

"Wow, that was pretty awesome!" he said. Just then, a great force of wind nearly blew him into a nearby building. Smoke and debris from the attack flew everywhere. He covered his eyes to prevent anything from flying into them. When the wind stopped, he looked to see that Gordon had created a torrent of wind that blew all of the smoke away from him. His Barrier Jacket was ripped up and he was covered in scrapes, but Gordon looked the same as he had before. If anything, he looked angrier than when Thomas had seen him first.

"This time…" he panted, "you're **really** going to regret that." He was about to charge another fire attack when a cluster of blue strings surrounded him. Before he could react, the strings attached to him, binding his arms at his sides and dissipating his fire magic. Gordon struggled against the binds, but it was no use. Whoever had cast this bind had made it difficult to get out of.

And then, his eyes widened with shock as he remembered the only person who could create binds like that.

"Pick on someone your own size for once, Gordon." The voice was calm and even, but behind it was a dangerous tone that wouldn't fool anyone. Thomas looked over Gordon's shoulder to see a man with greying hair wearing a blue suit with a few reds and silvers streaked behind him. On the front was a keychain that had the number 2. Gordon also turned to look behind him, and scowled.

"_You…_you of all people would just happen to show up now!" he growled.

The man behind him smiled. "I tend to introduce myself better that way."

Above them, Percy flew into view, worry all over his face. "Thomas, are you alright? I was really worried when I saw that massive attack and-" His voice trailed off when he saw the mysterious man. "E-Edward? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, Percy. I was just stopping Gordon from hurting this young lad," Edward said.

"How did you escape?! You were captured by James and Henry! And you're beaten up!" Percy said.

"Easy there, Percy. For starters, it was not easy to escape that place; I had to use ingenuity and wit to escape Diesel 10. After that, I used one of the teleportation machines in the basement that I hid in, and destroyed it before James or Henry could. When I arrived, I found a massive source of energy coming from the roof of one of the buildings," Edward said.

"That would be my powers," Thomas said sheepishly.

"Even so, that was quite impressive of you, Thomas," Edward replied. "I take it Raising Heart found a suitable partner."

"Quit the small talk, Edward! Let me out of this thing!" Gordon snapped.

"Not on your life. I'm keeping you at bay until I can call for reinforcements," Edward said sternly. It was then that he picked up a massive source of energy behind him. Not wanting either Thomas or Gordon to know, he opened up a telepathic communication to Percy.

_"Percy, are those the pages of the Book of Transformation?"_

_"Yes. Thomas' other friend, Toby, is unable to hold this, so I had to carry it with me."_

_"Something's a little off about those pages…they seem to be leaking more energy than usual."_

_"Is that a bad thing, Edward?"_

_"Yes, Percy, it's very bad. It could mean that they're losing power, or that they're about unleash it."_

In front of him, Gordon also picked up the absurd amount of energy. As soon as he realized that it was the pages of the book, he snapped out of Edward's binds, startling the older mage and snapping Thomas out of his apparent conversation with Raising Heart. Gordon shoved Edward into a nearby building, and lunged for Percy.

"Give me that suitcase!" he yelled, readying Levantine to strike. Percy sidestepped to the right, allowing Gordon to zip past. At once, the suitcase started to glow a bright gold color in his hands. It also increased in temperature, and soon it felt like he was holding a blazing hot iron. He yelped, throwing the suitcase into the air…and it started shaking uncontrollably.

"What the heck is going on?" Thomas pondered aloud. Edward apparently knew, because he jumped out of the hole he'd left in the building, and raced towards the suitcase. S2U glowed in his hands.

"I have to seal the pages, or else they'll destroy the entire city, with us in it!" he growled. With all his might, Edward swung S2U at the glowing suitcase using another Break Impulse spell. The collision created a massive shower of white sparks that blinded everybody around. Thomas, Gordon and Percy had to swerve to the side to avoid any contact from the pages.

"It…it's not working!" Edward muttered out, and at that moment, the head of S2U snapped completely, and its damaged head contained the highly explosive spell. Edward had no time to react before the head exploded, sending him flying backwards with the force. Percy rushed up and caught him, and the suitcase now started glowing red light. A gust of powerful wind came up suddenly, nearly throwing everyone out of the sky.

Edward looked over at Thomas, who looked ready to bolt. "Thomas, I need you to try and seal the pages in the suitcase! If you don't, the city will be destroyed, and everyone here will die!" he shouted.

"But how am I supposed to do that?!" Thomas asked over the deafening wind.

"If you have the power to use a bombardment spell on your first try, then you'll be able to seal this!" Edward said. "If you attack it and seal it correctly, then it should revert those pages back to normal."

"Alright, I'll try it! Raising Heart, can you seal this thing?"

_"Affirmative. Sealing mode, set up." _The bottom part of the head pushed up to reveal a large gap, and two energy wings appeared in it. Determined, Thomas pointed the staff at the pages.

_"One strike is all it'll take! Transformation Page, seal!" _Thomas yelled. At once, a series of pink strings shot out from Raising Heart, and they started to wrap around the out of control artifacts. Despite this, the binds started to come loose once again.

_"Seal!" _Thomas yelled again, and shot another string of binds. This time, though, they didn't even attach to the suitcase, and they disappeared as soon as they touched it. Edward was shocked.

"I-Isn't there anyway to seal this thing?" he asked himself. Just then, Gordon charged for the suitcase, Levantine on fire.

"Gordon, don't! You don't know what that thing is going to do!" Edward shouted.

"Shut up, Edward! I know what I'm doing! You said if I attack this thing, I should be able to seal it, right? Well, I'm going to attack it and seal it myself!" Gordon raised Levantine in the air, ready to attack.

_"Flying Dragon Flash!" _With that, he swung the sword downwards, sending a massive torrent of fire that crashed into the suitcase, and created a shower of sparks that wouldn't look too out of place in a light show. Fire and sparks flew everywhere, and Edward had to put out a shield to protect himself and Percy from getting hurt. Thomas likewise did the same.

All of a sudden, there was a blinding light that forced everyone to cover their eyes. Gordon was forced back by an invisible force field that surrounded the pages. All of them flew out of the suitcase, surrounded in a circle.

"Those pages are mine!" Gordon yelled, and started to fly after them. Edward soon gave chase, and so did Thomas.

"NO!" they both yelled. As the three began to close in on the pages of the book, the seven pages began to glow brightly.

_"Preparing emergency evacuation mode," _a robotic voice said in German. This made Edward grind to a halt when he realized what that meant. He turned to see Thomas and Gordon continue to rush for the pages, desperate to grab it first and completely unaware of what the pages were going to do.

"STOP!" Edward yelled, but by then it was too late.

_"Separation,"_ the voice said again, and they shone seven different colors before blasting off into the sky, creating a massive beam of white light that threw all four mages into the surrounding buildings. The beam shot straight through the barrier, shattered it completely, and blanketed all of Tidmouth in a white overcast.

The seven pages continued to glow all seven colors of the rainbow, hovering there until they shot into the sky like comets and dispersed in seven different directions. Even after this was done, the white sky remained.

Thomas, who was sitting in the highest floor of a bank building, watched the sight. He gulped. "I have a bad feeling about this," he said to himself.

* * *

Outside of Tidmouth, a bright blue portal appeared and two streaks of green and red light fell out of it. They soon skidded to a stop about a hundred miles from the city.

Henry looked around, concerned. There was nothing going on from what he could see, so either the battle was over or Gordon had been beaten. He really hoped it wasn't the latter, because James would go into a rage if that was the case.

"Henry, do you notice that it's a little too quiet out here?" So James had noticed it, too. The Iron Count looked around, trying to pinpoint where the battle was taking place.

"I did. I figured the battle must already be over. Edward may be old, but he can handle himself in situations," Henry said. James growled at the mention of Edward. He was the main reason they were here in the first place.

"When I get my hands on him, he's going to wish he'd surrendered before I kill him," he said. "The old man's more trouble than he's worth. Besides, he shouldn't have any more magic left in him. I pretty much beat him into a pulp yesterday."

"Don't judge him because of his age. He's been able to best Gordon at melees in the past. He's pretty full of surprises. Besides, I think the boss said he wanted to use him for something," Henry said.

"Yeah, as his punching bag! Let's hurry up and find him so we can get out of here!" James said. Before he could take off, however, a powerful wave of pressure screamed its way into his brain. The Iron Count grasped his head in shock, trying to figure out where it had come from.

"James! Are you alright?" Henry asked, but soon, the same sensation filled his head. "Geez, did you feel that? That was a lot of magical energy!"

"You're right. It has to be from the pages of the Book, Henry. No one else but Diesel 10 can give off that much power," James said.

All of a sudden, there was a bright flash, and then a sonic boom equal to the sound of a thousand roaring jets followed, nearly sending both Counts tumbling out of the sky. They turned to look north, where a massive white bubble hung over the town of Tidmouth. Outside of the bubble, seven multicolored lights flew in different directions before disappearing from sight.

Henry's jaw dropped open in shock. "Wha…what in the world?" he gasped. "I haven't seen a magical pressure explosion in-"

"Come on!" James interrupted. "We've got to find out what's going on, and find out what happened to those pages!"

* * *

White.

So much white filled Thomas' eyes that he figured he had died and gone to heaven. However, he knew that that wasn't the case when he saw that the white overcast began to fade away, slowly but surely. Within seconds, the white sky went away to reveal the buildings and blue sky of his home.

Things were not going to go back to normal all in one day, Thomas knew. Something really big had just happened, and it mattered a lot to Edward, Gordon and Percy- and a whole bunch of other people that he didn't even know about.

Either way, the way he saw it, things had just gotten a whole lot worse.

Percy was the second to come to his senses, and he climbed out of the building, flying over to where Thomas was. "Hey, Thomas, are you OK?"

"Somewhat. That actually didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would," Thomas said.

"You've got insane endurance. I'm sore all over," Percy said, rubbing his shoulder. All of a sudden, they heard Edward scream. Quickly, Thomas and Percy flew over to the building where Edward was. The older man looked terrified.

"Edward, what is it?" Percy asked, worried.

Edward shook his head. "It's horrible. Just horrible."

"What's horrible?!" Thomas yelled, trying to get to the point.

"The pages of the Book…they've scattered!" Edward looked at the two of them, trying to see if they understood the meaning of his words. "They split up the moment Gordon attacked the suitcase, and they've scattered to different towns in Sodor!"

Percy's eyes widened. "You mean to say that because they thought Gordon's attack was a threat to it, they scattered?"

"Yes. I've done a lot of research on the Book of Transformation. If there's a threat to the book's existence, it's programmed to separate into pieces to avoid being destroyed," Edward said grimly. "That means all the work I had put into protecting the book from Diesel 10 was for nothing. He's going to send the Counts after the pages now."

"And we have to find them," Thomas replied. Edward only nodded, too frustrated at the moment.

"You're kidding me, right, Edward?" Edward snapped to attention when he heard that it was James who had spoken. Unbeknownst to both Thomas and Percy, Henry and James had shown up along with Gordon.

"You mean to tell me that you just made our mission even more difficult?" Henry asked dangerously.

"Technically, Gordon made it harder. I realized what the book was about to do, and I tried to warn him about it. But he didn't listen," Edward said. "And yes, this does make your mission more difficult."

James looked ready to explode. "Great! Now what are we going to do?"

_"For now, return to base." _Diesel 10's voice cut into the fray as his hologram appeared from Gordon's wristwatch. _"We have a good deal to talk about."_

"But sir, what about Edward and-"

_"Leave them for now. We'll deal with them later. Head back to base, and make it fast." _With that curt order Diesel 10 disappeared. Gordon turned to glare at Thomas, who glared right back.

"You're getting off easy, you three. But know this: this isn't the last time you'll see us here in Tidmouth. And the next time we meet, expect us to show no mercy. For we are the Counts of the Society of Darkness, and we will run over anyone who gets in our way," Gordon said. Then, with a wave of Levantine, he summoned a gust of blue-white power that surrounded him and the Counts. Within seconds, they disappeared.

Edward scowled. "Don't let your guard down from now on, you two. We'll be dealing with some very aggressive opponents until we can get the pages of the book back," he said.

Thomas said, "Oh geez, I've got to get back to the dorms. Toby's going to be going crazy wondering where I am."

"Percy did mention that," Edward said, thinking. "Where exactly are the dorms?"

"They're about ten minutes from here. We can fly if you want."

"I think it would be best if we walked home. There is that little thing called 'secrecy', you know. Besides, I hope we can explain everything when we get back to where you stay at," Edward said. "But first things first, let's get down from here before someone sees us."

* * *

_Sodor University Dorms- 10:30 A.M._

Toby couldn't believe it. An entire hour had passed since they had first met Percy, Gordon showing up and Thomas getting magic powers. Not to mention there had been that white out from earlier, although he'd sworn that he saw a green comet streak past him as he had looked out the window…

What was this, some sort of anime?

He paced back and forth in the living room, waiting for Thomas and Percy to show up. Hopefully, they would explain what was going on, and why there had been a white out.

It was the unlocking of the door that brought him to his senses. He rushed to the front door as Thomas and Percy stepped into the room. They looked like they'd been to Hades and back.

"Guys, are you alright? What happened? Did you see the white out? Are you and-"

Thomas held up a hand to stop Toby's overflow of questions. "Dude, slow down with the questions. I'll explain everything once Edward gets in," he said.

Toby was about to protest, but stopped upon hearing Thomas' last sentence. "Wait a second, who's Edward?" he asked.

"I'm Edward," said an older man from the hallway, carrying a small suitcase and dressed in a sweater and jeans. He stepped into the door awkwardly, and closed the door behind him. "I hope there's not a problem with me staying here."

Toby stared at Edward as if he were seeing an alien. He then turned to Thomas. "Thomas, what the heck is going on?" he asked.

Thomas put a hand on his shoulder and steered him over to the couch. "Get comfy. It's a long story."

* * *

_Society of Darkness, Diesel 10's Office_

Henry, Gordon and James watched as their boss typed up several coordinates into the computer with his good hand. Rather than fuming like they thought he would, Diesel 10 seemed to be quite content; even pleased. After a few more minutes of uncomfortable silence, James cleared his throat to speak up.

"If I may ask, sir, what exactly are you looking for on the computer?" he asked.

"A good spy of mine has finally completed the tests on my new experiment. With her, I should be able to blow Edward and his stupid gang of mages out of the water. That way, we can focus on gathering the pages of the Book," he said.

"Oh, well that makes se-wait, did you say 'her'?" Henry said. Gordon also looked at his boss in surprise.

"Yes, I did indeed say her. She's an exceedingly powerful mage, and was created at one of my laboratories. She's one of two that survived my earliest scientific tests, and I hope to put to good use…but all in good time, I suppose. If Edward and that new mage become a problem again, we might have to send her out there to 'talk' some sense into them," Diesel 10 said. "Ah! I've found it!"

"Found what?" all three Counts asked.

"The fifth page of the Book of Transformation, called 'The Master Pact', is in Vicarstown, which is sixty miles from Tidmouth. What's even better, nobody knows about it but us," Diesel 10 said.

"That's great! We'll go after it right now!" James said.

"No. Flying there takes up half of your magical power alone. And it takes several hours to get there," Diesel 10 said. "After the day you've had, you need to rest. We also need to develop a new strategy in case those three show up. Understood?"

"Understood," all three said.

"Good, you're dismissed," Diesel 10 said, and turned back to his computer. The three Counts got up from their chairs, and walked out of the room. As soon as the door closed, Diesel 10 pulled up a picture of his experiment, carefully tucked away and hidden in another part of Sodor unknown to even the Counts. He then pulled up the professor's account information and called him. It didn't take long for a square faced, black haired man wearing black clothes to appear.

_"Ah, there you are, D-10. I trust that you got the good news?"_

"Diesel. It's been a while since we last chatted. I need you to do me one more favor before we send Project E on her test run."

_"And what's that?"_

"I need you to find a certain scientist who can create a Device suitable for her." He then typed a few keys and pulled up a picture of a short, thin man with sandy brown hair and oversized glasses that looked ready to fall off his face. He wore a dark green suit with a bright red tie, and smiled nervously in his photo.

"His name's Whiff, and he works at the Device Laboratories in Sylvania. I need you to find him and bring him to me."

_"And if he refuses to cooperate?"_

"Just resort to aggressive negotiations. It always works. This is to be done in two days' time, and there can be NO mistakes. Understand?"

_"I do, sir. I solemnly swear to it."_

After Diesel 10 had signed off from Diesel, he reached into his drawer and pulled out a small test tube. It was filled to the brim with a green liquid. On the label, it said, "Test Serum." Examining it, Diesel 10 sighed. He had just created this serum the other day, and needed a 'volunteer' to test it on. Edward was a prime choice, since the serum's effects would make him highly useful to his cause, but Edward had escaped, deeming that impossible.

_Soon,_ he thought to himself. _It'll take time for him to realize that his stubborn little mission isn't working out, and soon, you'll have him running back to you in no time._

Diesel 10 then put the serum back, and turned his attention to the computer. There was something he wanted to know about Thomas, the newbie who'd suddenly shown up in Tidmouth. Never had he heard of a mage having such magical prowess, other than himself of course. His mind began churning with all sorts of evil ideas, and a smile crossed his lips.

_Edward may be one of the more powerful mages in the Dream Dimension, but Thomas also seems to be perfect to join my Counts. Maybe I won't need my experiment after all…._

**To be continued…**

Next Act:

Edward: Thomas, I'm sorry about this. I promise to repay you, but I need your help to recover the pages of the Book of Transformation.

Thomas: I understand.

Edward: Toby, you're not to tell anyone about Thomas' magic powers.

Toby: My lips are sealed.

Edward: And Thomas, you're going to be training with me and Percy every day after school.

Thomas: Got it-whoa, wait a second!

Charlie: Are you Thomas?

Thomas (confused):….Yes?

Charlie (holding up a badge): I'm Enforcer Charlie from the Dream Dimension's Administration Bureau, and you're all under arrest.

Everyone: What?!

Whiff: What the…who are you and what are you doing here?

Diesel: Diesel 10 needs you. In other words, I'm here to take you with me.

_Stay tuned for Act 4: Facing the Music_

**_Plot twists galore! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, as it's going to be a while before I update this story. I have Hugs and Kisses and Dear Nanoha Fans to update after this, so I don't know when I'll come back to this story. Plus, Super Readers' Biggest Adventure is very important, because I won't be able to start my Super Mario story if I don't finish that thing._**

**_In the original Nanoha, Nanoha didn't get her powers immediately afterwards; they dedicated the first few episodes to Yuuno giving her directions. I think that's going to take forever, so I decided to have Thomas use two attacks instead, but unlike the first season, which had Nanoha successfully seal a Jewel Seed, Thomas was unable to seal the pages of the Book. Besides, the story would be over by then._**

**_Also, time works completely different in the Dream Dimension than it does on Sodor. It could be early morning on Sodor, but it would be evening in the Dream Dimension. I will include a couple of the other characters, as Charlie and Whiff have proved in the trailer._**

**_If you have any questions about the story so far, please ask by PM or in the reviews. I love to answer questions._**

**_Read and review!_**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


	4. Act 4: Facing the Music

_Previously on Sodor Magic Crusaders, Thomas received his powers, and managed to actually hold his ground in the fight against Gordon. When Edward arrived to help Thomas and Percy out, things went a bit out of control with the pages of the Book of Transformation, and they were so unstable that neither Edward nor Thomas could seal it. The pages separated, and they flew to every corner of Sodor. Having no choice but to ask Thomas for his help, Edward and Percy end up staying at Thomas' dorm room, and have to explain everything._

_Meanwhile, Diesel 10 is secretly plotting to recover the fifth page of the Book…but unbeknownst to Thomas and co, he has one other secret weapon up his sleeve, which he's preparing to unleash soon…_

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

This Chapter: July 25th, 2013

Rated: T for Teen (dramatic moments, violence and depressing themes)

Summary: Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in trying to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: This next act will feature several new and old characters. Plus, Edward gets a little angsty here. Not a lot, but it's still there. Anyway, enjoy!

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 4: Facing the Music

"If you couldn't tell from earlier, Percy and I are from another dimension, and we're mages. I'm sure Percy told you most of what's going on, so I'm going to cut straight to the chase," Edward explained. He and Percy were in the living room with Thomas and Toby, explaining everything. Thomas, for the most part, was taking it seriously, but Toby was in denial.

Then again, he was a normal person. Normal people usually didn't get themselves caught up in a plot to prevent the world from being destroyed.

"The pages of the Book of Transformation that I stole are not just random ones. They're important, and needed to grant the wish that Diesel 10 wants. The seven pages are as follows: Wisdom, Control, Power, Loyalty, Honor, Strength, and most important of all, Magic. Diesel 10 wants to make himself the emperor of the entire Dream Dimension, where Percy and I are from. However, we've been here several times. In fact, I was planning on retiring here before the Book of Transformation was found," Edward explained.

"Percy told us that Diesel 10's wish was maximum power. But from the way you're making this sound, I'm getting the hint that there's something else," Thomas said.

Edward nodded. "I used to work for Diesel 10, and I was promoted to be his VP a couple of years ago. I also overheard all the meetings that Diesel 10 held with several of the other members of his evil society-Den is his spy, 'Arry and Bert are presidents of the other branches of his company, and there are many more that I can't remember. Diesel 10 told them that once he got his hands on the book, he'd use it to take over the entire Dream Dimension, and the people in it," Edward said. "When I heard that, I realized that my suspicions were right. I'd never really trusted Diesel 10 before, but I had no choice but to work there since I needed the money. But now, I knew he couldn't be trusted. That's why I stole them."

"That's great and all, but couldn't you have escaped to another place other than Sodor to hide?" Thomas asked.

"I was. But when James and Henry attacked us, I had no choice but to send Percy to Sodor alone. He barely had any power to transport to any other place in the Dream Dimension, and was ready to collapse. I couldn't let all my hard work go to waste, so I told Percy to teleport to the Island of Sodor. It was the only place he could get to without nearly killing himself," Edward said. He looked Thomas and Toby straight in the eye.

"Do you two understand what I'm saying to you? This is not something that came out of some book or movie. This is real, and you're caught up in it. I never wanted any normal people involved in this, but I see that I have no choice but to do so. I promise to repay you for this, both of you. Will you help me recover the pages of the Book of Transformation?"

Thomas considered it for a moment before answering. At that moment, he remembered that most people in these types of situations have to deal with home and family life, not to mention their magical life. It was going to be difficult, but at least he could try it.

"Alright. I'll give it my best shot," Thomas said.

"Good. Now that you're a mage, we're going to have to lay down a few ground rules. Rule 1: You can't tell anybody about your magical powers, or show them. There are a few good friends of mine who nearly got killed for doing that," Edward said. "Rule 2: You have to show up for the training sessions that I'm going to hold every day after school. You do have a lot of power, Thomas, but unless you learn to control that power, there's no way you can win in a fight against people like Gordon, Henry and James. And rule 3: Don't do anything reckless. Often, the most reckless things get you into trouble-and I'm not talking about just the police."

"If you get caught in a magical incident, you're gonna have to take it up with the Bureau," Percy said.

"What's the Bureau?" Toby asked.

"They're what you would call the police, only it's a cross between that and the army. It's full of mages, sorcerers, wizards and other types of magical people who are there to protect the peace, and protect magical artifacts from being stolen. Most people usually go to the Bureau for one of two reasons: one, they were asked to work there. Two: they're in trouble. You won't believe how many cases were the latter ones," Percy explained.

"They have these officers called Enforcers who are particularly aggressive at their job. They act like detectives, but they're also called in to do undercover missions and artifact recoveries," Edward said. "You don't want to ever run into an Enforcer when they're searching for criminals."

"Like what Percy said about the Counts, huh?" Toby said.

"Exactly. Oh, and don't mention a word about this incident to anyone. You never know who's who around here," Edward said.

"Well, on that note, can I be excused? I need to call my university teacher and tell him that we need to reschedule our exam day," Toby said.

"Go ahead." Just then, there was a low growl that came from Edward's stomach, and he smiled nervously. "Do you happen to have anything to eat? I haven't eaten since yesterday and I'm starving."

"Sure. There's some leftover lasagna in the fridge," Thomas said. Before Edward could even get up from his seat, there was a loud pounding on the door. Whoever was out there was acting like a maniac. Already annoyed about his exam days among other things, Thomas stormed over to the door, tipped off.

"Hey! There is that thing called a 'doorbell', you know!" he shouted. He unlocked the door and opened it to find a short man with black hair wearing a purple shirt, red shorts and a white overcoat. On his shirt, there was a keychain with the number 14 on it. To Thomas he looked like a clown, although the guy had a serious look on his face.

"Listen, buddy, this isn't a rescue center. If you need help, go find somewhere else to crash!" Thomas was about to close the door on him, but the man shot out a hand and blocked the door from closing. He still had that serious look on his face.

"On the contrary, it's _you _who needs my help," he said. Thomas stopped and looked at this short scrap of a human being. Sighing, he opened the door.

"Okay, you got me. What exactly do you want?" he snapped, still angry.

"Are you Thomas?" he asked.

Thomas blinked, amazed at this guy. What was he, some sort of mind reader? "Um, yeah?"

The man then reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a badge. On it, it read 'Dream Dimension Administration Bureau-Enforcer Rank.' Thomas looked at the badge, and then at the man in shock.

"My name's Charlie, Enforcer for the Dream Dimension's Administration Bureau, and I'm here to place all persons here under arrest," Charlie said.

Edward dropped the lasagna pan when he heard that. Percy pushed Thomas out-of-the-way, letting the door swing wide open. Toby, who was on the phone in the other room, nearly dropped the receiver.

"What?!" everyone yelled at once. There was silence as Toby muttered something on the phone and then hung up. Afterwards, he came to the door as well, also upset.

"What are we getting arrested for?" he asked.

"You're involved with the Book of Transformation incident, right? Diesel 10's not the only one after Edward and Percy; we at the Bureau are also after him. And since you two are involved, that makes you liable suspects," Charlie said.

"You can't do this to us!" Thomas said.

"Technically I can. Don't make me use aggressive measures to place you under arrest," Charlie said. He whipped out several pairs of handcuffs and snapped them on Thomas, Toby, Percy and Edward. Toby gave Edward a dirty look.

"Nice job getting us into trouble, Edward," he said angrily.

"Now you see why I didn't want to get you involved?" Edward shot back as Charlie summoned his teleportation spell. A yellow magic triangle appeared beneath everyone. Thomas stared at the man in shock.

"Wait, I thought all mages had magic circles," he asked.

"Every mage has a different type of magic, and with each type, there are different symbols. I happen to use a form of magic called the Elemental Arts, which allow me to use lightning. All Elemental Arts users have magic triangles," he said.

"Where exactly are we going?" Edward asked. "Are we heading to the main base?"

"Yep. The captain himself has specifically asked to speak to you," Charlie said. Thomas could have sworn that Edward's jaw nearly dropped, and Percy's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"The captain…wants to talk to me?" Edward stammered.

"Yep. Now cut the chatter; this could be one bumpy ride," Charlie said.

* * *

_Dream Dimension Administration Bureau HQ- 07:49 A.M._

The Dream Dimension's Administration Bureau was different from all the other Bureaus that were around. Unlike most that remained in cities and towns, the DDAB was locked inside an alternate dimension, ready to head to other ones if necessary. To be frank, the place was a cross between the military and the government; they were called upon a lot by the actual government to make laws, and protected the Dream Dimension from any outside enemies. Filled to the brim with high-ranking captains, admirals, Enforcers and commanders, the Administration Bureau was one tough place. It was also known to many a mage that the place never sleeps, being busy with cases and securing the area.

With the Book of Transformation case now being publicly known, the Bureau was busier than ever. People who had retired from their Enforcer duties found themselves hired again on the spot. Sub-commanders and lieutenants found their days being increasingly difficult as they worked with stubborn, lazy and unmotivated new recruits. They needed every mage to help pitch in and work on the case, and in doing so, it just caused everything to fall out of place.

That is, until the newly appointed captain took charge.

Duke, who had retired from active duty years ago, found himself back on the job when a friend of his had recommended him to the previous captain. Known for being the most experienced person available and having a tough grip on authority, he put everything back into order in a span of a couple of weeks, and gained two officer cadets-Sir Handel and Peter Sam. Despite the clashing personalities, the three work well together.

Originally, Duke was going to go and track down Edward and Percy himself, but workloads forced him to stay behind in office, and that's why he had to send his Enforcer. When they'd gotten word of the magical pressure incident earlier that day, Duke knew something rather serious had happened. Only the pages of the Book of Transformation could release that much power.

As the captain reviewed these thoughts over in his mind, the door to his office slid open to show a short man with dark brown hair and wearing a blue suit. On his shirt, there was a tag that read Falcon. Duke looked up to see his officer cadet and smiled.

"So, Sir Handel, has Charlie come back yet?" he asked.

"Yep. He's brought everyone who was involved in the power explosion incident. One of them won't stop complaining," he said.

Duke stood up. "Well, that won't do at all! We'll get the complaint out of him alright! Send them in," he said.

"Sure thing, Granpuff," Sir Handel teased, and rushed out of the room before his superior could say another word. Duke merely shook his head, already used to the teasing by now.

"I don't know why they think I'll go back to my days as a drill instructor if they call me that…"

* * *

The moment Thomas and the others stepped into the place, it was like stepping into a sci-fi show. Everyone in the building was wearing special suits, and there were all sorts of various computers and holograms being used. For the most part, nobody paid attention to the five as they walked in, too busy with their own little things. However, halfway down the hall, they were approached by a short man with blue hair, and wearing a blue suit.

"Charlie, there you are! Duke said to send them in already," he said.

"Thanks, Sir Handel. I'm ready to get rid of this complainer over here," he said, pointing to Thomas.

Sir Handel looked him up and down. "Well, look here mister, you just watch yourself. We call Duke 'Granpuff' for a reason, but he was a drill instructor in his early days. You don't want to tick him off, and one thing that really gets under his skin is complaining. If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut."

"Geez, a short guy with a short temper. That sounds like someone I know," Thomas smirked. Sir Handel went red in fury.

"Hey! Quit making fun of our short statures!" he sputtered. Charlie also turned around to admonish him.

"Yeah! What if you got picked on because you were short?" he said. Before any other word could be said, a man with short brown hair and green eyes came around the corner. He looked a little nervous about intruding on them.

"Hey guys, I hate to interrupt, but Duke's waiting in the office," he said. At once Charlie and Sir Handel stopped arguing.

"Thanks for reminding me, Peter Sam," Charlie said, although he continued to glare at Thomas. "We'd better get going."

Soon, they reached the large doors of the captain's quarters, where an old man wearing a brown and gold suit stood near the window, reading something on a hologram. When he saw Charlie and the others with him, he turned the screen off and went over to them.

"Good morning. I'm Captain Duke Lodge of the Dream Dimension's Administration Bureau. I'm pretty sure you all know why you're here," Duke said. Charlie released the four from their handcuffs, and Duke led them to the various chairs scattered over the room. Toby picked the chair farthest from the desk, while Thomas, Percy and Edward sat in the chairs in front of the desk. Duke looked up to see Charlie still in the room.

"You may go now, Charlie. Thank you for your services," he said.

Charlie saluted him. "Yes sir!" he said, and turned and walked straight out the door. Once the door had closed, Duke turned towards the three sitting in front of him. His face turned serious.

"So, you're the young man who got caught in this whole escapade, huh?" he asked Thomas.

Thomas nodded. "To be honest, I did it because I wanted to. Percy was in trouble, and I ended up taking him in, along with the pages of the Book of Transformation," he explained. "When Gordon came and tried to attack us, Percy gave me Raising Heart to defend myself." He pulled out the small red jewel, which he had put in his pocket. Duke was surprised.

"Hm, interesting in your case, Thomas. It appears that you are the only one fit to use that Device, judging by the amount of power you can use," he said. "Of course, with the right control, you'll become one of the most powerful mages in the history of the Dream Dimension."

Thomas brightened. "Really? Thank you, sir!" he said.

"Well, now that we've gotten the good news out of the way, I will have to bring down the bad news." He then looked at Edward and Percy in turn. "You two weren't being hunted after by just Diesel 10. We at the Bureau take stolen artifacts very seriously. It's because of you two that I'm even back on the work force. Why did you steal those pages, Edward?"

Edward explained everything that had happened to him and Percy from beforehand to when they had reached Sodor. After he finished, Duke sighed. "If you had only come here earlier, Edward, they might have helped you with that," he said.

"I know that now. I should have never taken something like that into my own hands. That's why I didn't want to get Thomas involved, or Toby. They're normal people who were only enjoying their lives," he said. "If it helps at all, I'd like to do this assignment on my own."

Those words snapped everyone to attention, but Thomas was the one who reacted first. He jumped out of the chair so fast it went clattering to the floor. "Edward, what are you saying? You just told me that you needed my help to get these pages back!"

"I don't think you realize what kind of damage I've caused, Thomas. Because of me, the Counts are going to work even harder to make sure that they can get the pages, and the Bureau will probably arrest me for stealing an artifact. Plus, you'll get arrested, too, just for helping me," Edward said sadly.

"That doesn't matter! You asked me for help, and I never let any of my friends down! I originally took this thing because I wanted to defend myself, and protect my friends. But like I said earlier, I'm doing this because I want to do it," Thomas said. Edward stared at him, surprised.

"Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to have superpowers. And not because I thought they'd be cool; I wanted them because then I'd be able to protect every person out there who's in trouble, and put right what went wrong. I have that chance now…and I'm going to use these powers to help you get the pages back!" Thomas said.

For a moment, the room was completely silent as Thomas finished his speech. Duke blinked twice in surprise, unable to say a word. Percy and Toby were equally astonished. Once he realized that everyone was staring at him, Thomas blushed a deep red as he turned to the captain.

"S-Sorry…I didn't mean to go off like that," he admitted.

"No…actually, I deserved that," Edward said quietly. His voice was run over with emotion. "For the past few days, I've blamed myself for this whole thing, and I've dealt with all sorts of pressure, especially from the Counts and Diesel 10. But when you said those things, Thomas, I realized exactly why I did what I did. I didn't do steal the pages to get attention; I did it for the people I want to protect. I used my powers to get myself into this mess…and now, I'm going to use them to get out of it."

Percy smiled, and placed a hand on Edward's shoulder, while Duke merely nodded, a smile on his face. On the other side of the room, Toby watched in amazement.

"Geez, not even several hours, and you're already starting to sound mature, Thomas," he remarked.

"As for you, Toby," Duke said finally, "you will have to keep your friends' secrets. It might be a little hard for you, but I'm sure that you can manage." He then reached over and picked up a couple of papers from a folder.

"For now, you three will have to fill out these record forms. You'll need them if you're going to be going on the next assignment I'm giving you soon," he said.

Thomas looked at him in surprise. "We're getting assignments now? Does this mean we're not in trouble?"

"Yes and no. First, you're working in a high class facility, so you'll be busy all the time. Second, your two friends were the ringleaders behind this whole thing. I would give you a penalty, but since you were brought into this, I'll lighten yours," Duke said. "Edward, you and Percy are officially on probation. From now on, you two will have to stay here in the Bureau, and you won't be allowed to use your magic for the next few weeks unless I directly say so. As compensation, you'll have to perform community service. You can keep in contact with Thomas and give him training lessons via video. Failure to adhere to these rules will result in you staying here indefinitely."

"In other words…?" Thomas asked, confused.

"If they don't follow the guidelines that I've set for them, then they'll be stuck here for a long time," Duke said.

"Oh…guess I should have figured that out," Thomas said.

"Thomas, you are only allowed to use magic when it's necessary. Also, don't do anything reckless or that might get you killed," Duke said. He looked at all three in turn. "Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes sir!" they replied.

"Good. I'm going to send you to Falcon's office. He has some training materials for Thomas and Percy," he said. "You can leave now."

As the four stood up to leave, Edward turned to Thomas. "Thanks for helping me out back there. I don't think I'd be able to handle such a thing on my own," he said.

Thomas smiled. "Hey, what are friends for?" he said. Edward was rather surprised.

"You barely know me and you already consider me to be a friend?" he asked.

"Well, I should say I consider you to be more of a mentor than anything. You definitely look the type as Percy said," Thomas said.

"Thanks. It comes with being middle-aged, I guess," Edward replied.

* * *

_Sylvanian Device Laboratories, 08: 15 A.M._

"Make sure that the different forms are compatible with each other. The Device should be able to switch to its different modes on command."

"Alright then. Test Subject BD-01, Scythe Form!"

_"__Scythe Form, Set up,"_ was the reply of the weapon as it shifted into its newly installed form. It was a black staff in the shape of a 17th century axe. A yellow jewel was seen at the top. The axe head flipped upwards about 90 degrees and a curved blade of yellow energy emerged from the gap. Upon seeing how quickly it reacted, the scientist smiles in approval.

"That's good for now. You can return to Standby Form now, BD-01," he said.

_"__Standby Form,"_ BD-01 replied, and there was a bright white flash before the scythe changed into a small yellow triangle.

"You've spent a lot of time on that particular Device, haven't you, Whiff?"

Whiff sighed. He readjusted his glasses, which nearly came off while he was writing down the results of his tests. "Well, it _is _my latest Device design, Arthur. I want to make sure that it'll work perfectly before I make any more," he said. He took BD-01's small triangle and placed it in his pocket.

"So, what kind of people are you making this Device for?" Arthur asked.

"It's really for people who want to get physical. Sure, it's able to shoot powerful projectile spells, but other than that, it's mostly meant for cutting things in half," Whiff explained.

"You think anybody's gonna steal this thing?" Arthur asked as the two walked out of the lab together.

"Of course not. The facility is guarded from top to bottom, and nobody can get past the security of thousands of well-armed guards," Whiff said. "Anybody who thinks they break in here is pretty stupid in my book."

"And anyone who thinks their security can outmatch me is pretty stupid in mine." The voice that had entered the fray caught Whiff's and Arthur's attention. The two turned to their left to see who had uttered that sentence. It was a square faced man dressed in red and black all over, and wielding a large black staff. Behind him, all the security officers were down, including some of the professors. Cameras were smashed into pieces, and other broken experiments were destroyed.

Whiff stared at the damage, and then at the man in front of him. "What the-who are you and what are you doing here?" he sputtered, going on defense.

An evil smirk crossed the man's face, which made Whiff take a step back. "The name's Devious Diesel. Diesel 10 sent me to find you and bring you back to his headquarters so we can talk," Diesel said.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Whiff said, and whipped out a pistol. Diesel merely swung his staff in the air, and the head separated into a chain. The massive chain circled the room, trapping the two scientists in the room and allowing no chance of escape. Whiff was about to shoot, but before he could, Diesel swung the chain and it slammed straight into Arthur. Whiff could only stare in horror as Arthur crashed into the wall and rolled onto the floor, unresponsive.

"ARTHUR!" Before he could move, the chain encircled his legs, and bound them tightly together. He stared at Diesel, whose smile had vanished.

"I'd surrender if I were you…unless you want me to use more of these 'aggressive negotiations'." His tone had turned dangerous.

Whatever was left of Whiff's bravado vanished in an instant. Absolutely terrified of the man now, he let the pistol he was holding slip out of his grasp and it clattered to the floor. Diesel looked pleased.

"Much better. I think Diesel 10 will be happy to hear that I didn't have to beat anyone up _too_ badly," he said. After releasing Whiff from his chain, he put him under a binding spell. Roughly hauling him to his feet, Diesel shot a massive beam of black energy into the air and destroyed the roof, sending plaster and rock nearly falling down on top of people. Ignoring the damage, he took off running before leaping into the air and flying away from the scene. Below, he could hear the sounds of sirens blaring throughout the lab.

"The Bureau's not going to be too happy about this," he snickered. Behind him, Whiff gulped at the sight of his workplace in ruins. Smoke flew from the building, and a few flames sprouted from the damaged roof.

He'd never really been much of a religious person, or even prayed that often. But with the ways things were at the moment, now would be a really good time to start.

* * *

The doors to the control deck of the base slammed open to show Duke, Sir Handel and Peter Sam. The three had been in the middle of discussing a potential solution to the Book of Transformation mess when the alarms came in. From the look on Duke's face, Thomas figured he was not in the mood to deal with any more troublemakers than the ones he had now. Thomas stepped aside as Duke went over to the large chair in the center of the room.

"Captain Lodge, we've had a problem at the Device Labs. Someone's broken in and left the place in ruins," Charlie said. He pressed a key on the keyboard in front of him, and live news channels appeared on the screen. Thomas gasped at the damage done to the laboratory. A massive column of smoke was rising in the sky, and from what he could see, there were small embers around the massive hole in the building.

"Did they say how many were hurt?" Duke asked.

"Nobody was hurt. Everyone's either had minimal or critical injury. However, the most startling report we've gotten was that the culprit has kidnapped a scientist by the name of Whiff McPherson," Charlie said. "Apparently, he was testing a new Device."

"Was the culprit aligned with Diesel 10, perhaps?"

"That's what I think, sir. It could be one of his elite spies; possibly Den or Duncan," Charlie said.

"Impossible. Den's not the type to do such things, and Duncan's been in jail for a while. There must be someone else we're missing," Duke said. All of a sudden, the doors slammed open again to reveal a black-haired man with silver eyes and dressed in a blue suit. He looked like he'd just run all the way to the meeting.

"Freddie, what took you so long?" Sir Handel asked.

"I was on my way to work when I tuned into the radio, and they were talking about the incident at the labs. They said that the person has been identified as Diesel, who does a lot of work like this for D-10," Freddie replied breathlessly.

Thomas was confused, but everyone else in the room looked like zombies. Nobody even seemed to be _breathing_ at the moment. Edward and Percy were both pale, and Charlie looked ready to punch Freddie in the face.

"I should have known," Duke said at last. "Only Diesel 10 would send the most destructive member of his regime to commit this crime. Did they mention what he was after?"

"No. But they did say that something else was stolen: a prototype for a Device that the scientist had worked on. The official reports said he had it in his pocket," Freddie said.

"If Diesel's out there causing a ruckus, we need to be out there to stop it before he can cause any more damage. I need a group of officers to chase down Diesel and rescue Whiff, while another group has to head to the labs to put out the fire," Duke ordered. "Who volunteers to go first?"

To everyone's surprise, it was small little Charlie who came forward. "Sir, I'll be happy to do the job," he said.

"Very well then, Charlie. Anyone else?"

"I'll go, too. Charlie might need some help," Edward said. The shorter man stared at him in shock.

"Are you crazy? You're under probation, and besides, an old man would just slow me down," Charlie said.

"You need someone with a good bit of combat experience against stronger opponents to help you. Plus, I'm not as old as you think I am," Edward replied. "If you're going up against Diesel, then you need to have another person with you to fight him. That's the only way I can explain it."

Duke studied him carefully. "I take it that you've fought against Diesel before?"

"He's challenged me to a couple of mock battles, back when I was working under Diesel 10. I was never able to win on my own, because he was that strong," Edward explained. "He's like Gordon in the sense that he can easily toss around smaller opponents. If Charlie's going to fight against him, he'll need all the help he can get."

"If you feel that strongly about it…as long as you two don't do anything that might cause more trouble for anyone. Edward, you have my permission to leave. Charlie, you as well. The rest of you, I will eventually find jobs for you later. You're dismissed," Duke said.

As everyone started to leave, Edward pulled out S2U's standby form, which was a small metal card. Out of the corner of his eye, Charlie was looking at him with a peculiar expression.

"I didn't know you had a Device," he said.

"This one I got recently. I'm still learning how it works, and what type of magic it uses," Edward said.

"Huh. I've had my Device for as long as I can remember-back when I was a kid in fact," Charlie said. He smirked. "That means I'm way ahead of you in terms of Device using, Eddie."

"We'll see how good you are in a little while," Edward replied. Then he turned to the shorter mage with an amused look. "Did you just call me Eddie?"

"Yeah. I like to nickname the staff all the time. Sir Handel's real name is Falcon, but he used to train under this rich guy named Sir Handel, and he started insisting that everyone call him that. However, he was always reckless, so I always teased him by calling him Sir Handel. It eventually stuck, though. Even Granpuff rarely calls him by his real name anymore," Charlie explained.

" 'Granpuff'? You mean Duke, right?" Edward asked.

"Yeah! We call him that because the guy is the oldest member on our staff! It's a wonder he didn't refuse the position," Charlie said.

"Maybe he just likes bossing around smaller people," Edward snickered.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Charlie said.

**Next act:**

Thomas: Are you saying that immediately after we get back to Tidmouth, there's a page that we have to recover from Vicarstown?

Duke: That's what the scanner reads. The Counts also know what's going on in this area, so I would advise for you and Percy to head straight to the town and recover it before anyone else can.

Thomas: Man, I'm never going to take my exams now…

Diesel 10: What do you have in the pocket, Whiff? A potential weapon for me to use?

Whiff: What are you talking about? I don't have any potential weapons.

(Diesel 10 reaches into Whiff's coat pocket, and pulls out BD-01. Whiff stares in shock while Diesel 10 gives him a dangerous smile.)

Diesel 10: No potential weapons, huh?

(Later, Edward and Charlie encounter Diesel at a power plant.)

Charlie: In the name of the law, I will place you under arrest!

Diesel: Just try to stop me. You think you and that old man can defeat me?

Edward: Old man? (Summons S2U) I think you're forgetting who you're talking to, _Diesel._

Diesel (shocked): You-?!

_Stay tuned for Act 5: The Crackdown_

**_This chapter pretty much introduced us to the Bureau, who I guess you can say is full of all the narrow gauge engines from the show. Duke, Charlie, Sir Handel, Peter Sam and everyone else will get their roles beefed up over time, and a couple of one-shot characters may appear here and there. I'm still watching Nanoha so I can have a better understanding of the series, which is going to be fairly important later when two other characters appear. I'm thinking of doing a character sheet where I list all of the spells and roles for each character. But that won't be until much later in the story. And I do emphasize on the 'later' part._**

**_Edward's been taking the spotlight a lot, even though the story's been focusing mainly on Thomas. I wanted to pretty much establish why he stole the pages of the Book in the first place, since doing so-and being angsty about it-is a bit OOC for his character. This chapter pretty much renewed his vigor, so the next few chapters, we'll be seeing more of Edward's regular personality, although I'll be exploring more sides to him throughout the story. Act 6 will have Thomas take center stage, so next chapter will be the last that Edward is shown in the spotlight._**

**_As always, read and review!_**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


	5. Act 5: The Crackdown

_(Society of Darkness, Diesel 10's headquarters)_

The binds that Diesel had placed on Whiff disappeared as soon as his face hit the floor. The devious man had slammed him into the floor in front of the maniacal Diesel 10, who was watching him with bored, uninterested eyes. He looked from Whiff to Diesel.

"No need to be so harsh, Diesel. He_ is_ our special guest, after all," he said. "In the meantime, I think you need to fend off our pesky Bureau members from foiling our plans."

"But what if they bring out their strongest members?" Diesel asked.

"Fight them for as long as you can. I can't afford to have Henry, James or Gordon to come back to the Dream Dimension. They've already made it to Sodor, and they're on their way to Vicarstown. As long as we keep the Bureau busy, we have an advantage as they don't even know about one of the pages," Diesel 10 said. Then, his eyes darkened. "For your sake, Diesel, don't fail me."

Diesel bowed. "As you wish."

"Good. You're dismissed. I have some important matters to discuss with Whiff here," Diesel 10 said. Diesel turned to leave, but not before he gave Whiff a dangerous glare. The scientist gulped as he watched the other man's form disappear into the darkness.

Diesel 10 cleared his throat. "In the meantime, Whiff, I've brought you here for something rather important. When I'm finished explaining everything, I think you'll find that the deal I have to offer will sound quite promising."

A bead of sweat trickled down Whiff's chin. He was already getting a bad feeling about this.

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

This Chapter: July 18th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: Our next Act is going to be full of all sorts of surprises! I hope you enjoy~!

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 5: The Crackdown

Thomas and Percy watched as Edward and Charlie headed out to the ship to get ready to leave. From what Thomas could tell, the smaller man looked rather tense and a little hardened. Judging from how he reacted when Freddie brought up Diesel, he guessed that there was something personal tied to this, and that's why he wanted to leave.

In the meantime, he was more worried about how he was going to get home, and how to handle his exam schedule now that this happened. Toby told him that their English teacher had moved the date to another time, which happened to be on vacation day. Thomas wasn't too happy about that, but it was better than failing out of the class. Also, tomorrow he didn't have any exams to take, so that should give him some extra time to study…

"Thomas, I think you need to come and see this," Percy said, snapping him out of his thoughts. Thomas went over to the captain's chair, where Duke was busy keying things into the computer. A couple of images of a town popped up on the large screen. Thomas gasped when he recognized where it was.

"Hey, isn't that Vicarstown?" he asked.

Duke nodded. "Yes. The reason that I'm pulling up these images is because one of the pages is located here," he said.

Percy looked at the captain in surprise. "Are you serious?" he asked.

"I'm very serious, Percy. What makes this situation very important is that the Counts are on their way to the town. From what I've gathered, Diesel 10 has sent them on this assignment. While we're doing our best to keep everything over at the Labs under control, this situation is just as urgent. However, as Edward is going to help stop Diesel, I'm going to have to send you two to Vicarstown by yourselves," Duke replied.

"You mean the minute we get to Sodor, we're going to have to go after the page in Vicarstown?" Thomas asked.

"Unless you want the Counts to have a victory over us," Duke said, "then yes. If we don't get those pages back, who knows what could happen?"

Thomas groaned. "At this rate, I'll never take my exams!"

"Don't worry about it, Thomas. We'll deal with that when we get back," Toby said. "In the meantime, how _are_ we going to get home?"

"Our helicopter pilot, Harold, will be in charge of that," Duke said. "He's about to drop off Edward and Charlie, so you'll have to wait. You can see the details of the mission from here."

"Thanks," Toby said. "Is it, like, a dimensional traveling helicopter?"

"No. Rather, it creates dimensional portals. Harold's the fastest helicopter pilot in the Dream Dimension, so getting you home isn't a problem."

"Good thing tomorrow is an off day," Toby muttered under his breath. "With all the stuff going on…"

All of a sudden, there was a loud screech of feedback that came from the screen. Everyone present jumped, startled, as Diesel's face came on the screen. His face was twisted into a mischievous grin.

_"Greetings, Captain Hodge. I'm pretty sure you recognize me, since what I did was all over the news. The rumors are true- Diesel 10 does have Whiff McPherson, and he's sent me out to get new materials and collect raw energy for his new weapons. I'm flying to the power plant directly as I speak. I doubt your Enforcers can chase me down in time, because I'll be gone by the time they get there. See you later, suckers!"_ Then the screen went black. For a long moment, nobody said a word as their eyes were on where Diesel's face had disappeared.

Then, Duke broke it by pressing a key on the keyboard. "Edward, Charlie, did you get that?"

_"We saw it on Harold's screen, sir,"_ Charlie replied. _"If we don't stop Diesel now, he's going to have all the weapons to make a particularly dangerous Device."_

"Exactly. I need you and Edward to head straight to the power plant and track him down. If he refuses to surrender, fight him. But don't do anything reckless," Duke said gravely.

There was a pause, and then Charlie replied, _"Read you loud and clear, sir."_

Duke turned off the communication link, and turned to the other Enforcers in the room. "Ladies and gents, this is going to be one of the more serious cases you've had to face in your careers as Enforcers. I want you to get out there and show those Society members just who they're dealing with. Be careful, and don't do anything that wouldn't suit his Grace! Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!" everyone said.

"You're dismissed!" At this, everyone ran out of the room, heading to the weapons room to get their Devices and leave. Thomas looked over at Duke.

"Um, are we dismissed, too?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, yes. Go along with Falcon to the training room. You'll need to learn a couple of new skills before you head out to Vicarstown."

"Is there anything that I can do?" Toby asked.

"At the moment, I'm not entirely sure. You can stay in the training room if you'd like," Duke said. Toby thanked him, and soon he, Percy and Thomas were out the door, leaving Duke and Peter Sam in the room. Peter Sam looked at his superior with an encouraging smile.

"You haven't said 'his Grace' in a long time, Granpuff. What prompted you to bring it up?" he asked.

Duke took off his glasses and sighed. The emotion in his eyes was as clear as a written message. "It's just...I feel a certain need to take care of all of them. You and Falcon know that I'm not going to be around forever, and I want to make sure that everyone under me knows what they're doing," he said.

Peter Sam smiled. "Even under that gruff persona, you're a big softie when it comes to recruits, Granpuff," he said.

Duke chuckled, and put his glasses on. "Well, I won't be soft on them all the time, Stuart. Just wait until next week. Those kids won't even know what hit 'em." He soon turned his screen back on, where they were showing footage of Harold's helicopter heading for the power plant.

"Now, let's keep an eye on our Enforcers, shall we?"

* * *

_Society of Darkness, Diesel 10's office- 08:45 A.M._

"So, Mr. McPherson, I think that I can make you a nice proposition. With a promising pay, I can't see why you would turn something like this down," Diesel 10 said, drinking tea.

Whiff stared down at his cup, unable to come up a response. When Diesel had dragged him into the building, covered head to toe in a massive binding chain, he'd expected to be thrown in a dungeon with thousands of others. He, like, most people, knew the rumors of Diesel 10's 'No Man's Land' to be true; prisoners disappeared so often that the police had given up trying to find them. Plus, the place was filled with dangerous people- the most obvious being Diesel 10 himself. Whiff had expected to be tortured -or at least interrogated and then tortured.

Yet here he was, being treated like a special guest in this madhouse. D-10 had sent out Diesel to go on a very important mission. What it was, Whiff didn't exactly know, but it couldn't be good at all. However, he soon found that this was the least of his problems. D-10 had apparently kidnapped him so he could talk about making prototype weapons for the newest member of his team, who was going to arrive soon. Since Whiff was known for making most of the Devices for the Bureau, he was certain that he'd make a Device for him to use.

"So, Whiff, what do you say?" Diesel 10 asked.

Whiff pondered on this. He never really trusted Diesel 10, but at the same time, he was getting tired of the dwindling paychecks he got at the labs. Money was tight, and he had bills to pay. With the large amount of money sitting on the table, it was very tempting to say yes.

"I…well, it does sound rather interesting," he answered finally, his eyes on the pile of gold in front of him. It was all he could do to keep himself from reaching over the table and stuffing it into his pockets. "But at the moment, I don't have any weapons on me…save one."

Diesel 10's eyes lit up with interest. "This is surprising! Why don't you show me what it looks like?"

Whiff reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out BD-01. "BD-01, Device mode," he said.

_"Device Mode, set up." _The yellow jewel glowed brightly, before it transformed into its main form. Diesel 10 was very impressed.

"Very interesting Device mode, if I do say so myself," he said. "And just what type of Device is this?"

"It's really meant to be used by people who are aggressive. It has another form as well, where it turns into a scythe," Whiff said.

"That will suit perfectly for my newest member. She is a bit…aggressive, you might say. Does this Device fit well with the cartridge system?"

"Well, I haven't exactly finished the design for it yet, so no. But in the future, I will attempt to fit the cartridge system into the Device," Whiff said.

"So, you'll accept the deal?" Diesel 10's eyes were feral, like a wolf's.

Whiff gulped. "Yes…but on one condition. After I have done the work for you, let me go and live a life in peace," he said.

Diesel 10 leaned back in his chair and nodded. "Alright then. I understand." He pressed a button on the table. "Diesel, there's one other thing I need you to do."

_"What is it, sir?"_

"Once you've gotten all of the raw material and energy, I want you to go and head back to the labs. Recover all of Whiff's equipment, and destroy the labs," he said.

Whiff gasped. "You can't do that! That's a Bureau funded agency!"

Diesel 10 ignored him. "Anyone associated with the Bureau is to be destroyed along with it. Let nothing remain of that place. Do you understand?"

There was a pause, and then Diesel said, _"But sir, the Bureau will hunt us like dogs if we do that."_

"Let them do what they want. They know they're powerless against me," Diesel 10 said. "Diesel 10 out." After ending the call, he turned to Whiff. The scientist was shaking, horrified at what Diesel 10 said.

"Well, then, I suppose you'll have to keep your part of the deal," he said, turning away.

"You never said anything about destroying the labs!"

"I'm altering the deal. Pray I don't change it anymore," Diesel 10 growled, glaring at the scientist. "You'd better get to work, or else I'll have to resort to more…forceful means."

Whiff said nothing, but only grabbed his Device, stood up and stormed out of the room. Tears filled his eyes, and he hastily wiped them away as he encountered several guards who led him to the laboratory where we would now work at.

"What have I done?" he muttered to himself. "What have I done?"

* * *

Harold's helicopter hovered high above the damaged lab site. The heavy, thick smoke made it hard for Edward and Charlie to see. Harold was in the front, talking to Duke via hologram. Apparently, the captain had gotten a little emotional since their last conversation. Charlie and Edward sat patiently, waiting to go.

"So, uh, what exactly made you want to fight Diesel?" Edward asked. The question had come up earlier as they had gotten into the helicopter.

"If you don't mind, it's rather personal experiences that I don't want to talk about," the Enforcer said quietly, looking out the window. Normally talkative and lively, he had gone suddenly quiet and moody for the last few minutes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry," he said.

"That's alright. You didn't know any better," he said. Just then, Harold's voice came over the intercom.

_"Alright, you two. In about thirty seconds you're about to take off. Captain Hodge said it's imperative that one of you gets to the labs and the other gets to the power station. Okay?"_

"Okay!" Edward and Charlie said.

_"Good, I'm opening up the hatch now."_ There was a loud hissing noise, and beside Charlie and Edward, the hatch lowered. Below was a vast expanse of the land. The lab was directly below, and from their position they saw a crush of police cars in the parking lot.

"Edward, I'll take the labs while you go hold off Diesel until I get there. You think you can do that?" Charlie said.

"You bet I can!" Edward pulled out S2U, currently in its card form. "Don't fail me now, S2U."

_"Okay, Boss,"_ was the Device's only reply.

"That goes for you too, Strata," Charlie said to his Device, which was currently on his wrist in the form of a wristwatch.

_"No problem,"_ he replied. After looking around for clearance, the two mages jumped out of the helicopter, freefalling towards the labs.

_"Standby Ready, Set Up!" _Edward and Charlie commanded, their Devices glowing as they did so.

_"Drive Ignition,"_ the two Devices replied, and soon, the area was flooded with blue and yellow light.

Edward threw S2U's card form into the air, and it started to spin around him. A bright blue appeared around his body, forming the jacket and shirt of his uniform. He then grabbed the card, and it transformed into its main staff form. This action also caused his pants and boots to appear. Waving his Device in the air, he added the finishing touches to his uniform: several streaks of silver on the jacket and pants, fingerless gloves, and the number two keychain necklace. His transformation complete, Edward twirled his staff before pointing it at the screen, glaring at an unseen enemy.

Charlie's wristwatch read "Set up" on the screen, and it glowed before it disappeared in a flash of light. Charlie took the time to draw a triangle of lightning in front of him, which passed over him and brought his purple shirt and red shorts. After he did that, he stomped his feet on the ground, summoning his metal boots. Above him, Strata's spearhead attached to the staff, and he reached up to grab it. As he did so, a stream of light passed over him, giving him his white overcoat. After receiving his keychain necklace and final details, Charlie did a backflip before settling for an attack position.

With their transformations complete, Edward and Charlie appeared out of the cocoons of light. They split up, heading in the direction of their assigned locations.

"Charlie, make sure you have your communicator on. If something goes on, I need you to tell me about it," Edward said.

_"Communication line: green. We shouldn't have any trouble at all. You sure you can handle this?"_

"That I can't say. But I do know that I'll be able to stall him until you and the others get here," Edward said. "If I need any help, I'll be sure to let you know."

_"Alright then. Charlie out."_

* * *

Thomas gasped as he was once again hit by the massive entourage of bullets that Sir Handel had fired at him. He and the office cadet had been at it for nearly thirty minutes, and Thomas had yet to put a dent in the other man's defense. He'd been able to sneak in a few moves here and there, but Sir Handel hit him with the force of a train. He was in unspeakable pain, and felt like he could barely move. Toby and Percy watched this from a distance, anxious.

"Hey! Go easy on him, will you? He's new to this stuff!" Toby yelled for the tenth time. Out of the two, he was very much against Sir Handel 'training' his friend by beating the snot out of him. Percy, on the other hand, had been cautious but had deemed it necessary, since the Counts weren't going to hold back in a real fight.

"I _was_ going easy on him! I'm not even joking!" Sir Handel said. He held up his Device, which was a pair of two bulky handguns that wouldn't be out of place in Star Wars. They were blue and grey respectively and one of the guns had smoke blowing from its barrel. That had been the one that he'd used to shoot the bullets at him.

"This is an extremely powerful Device, Toby. It has more power than even Cross Mirage, which is Henry's Device. However, it takes a long time to cast any type of shooting spell with this thing. I can only fire up to three rounds of magical bullets at a time, but Henry fires up to six. Also, he controls his attacks with dead-on accuracy," Sir Handel replied. "Henry's got the skill to back up his claims; I don't. So this could be considered a training session for both of us."

Toby still didn't seem convinced. "Yeah, well, try not to beat him into a pulp, okay? I don't need my friend to look like a potato!" he said.

"Plus, we do have to go back to Sodor as well," Percy interjected. "If Thomas is going to recover the page from Vicarstown, he can't go in that condition."

"Fine, we'll stop here." Sir Handel let his Device, the Dragoon Blaster, return to its Standby Mode, which was a crystal gem. "But don't blame me if Henry's too hard to handle." The cadet then left the room, and Toby went over to help him up. Thomas gratefully accepted it.

"I feel like I just got ran over by a train," he said.

"Sir Handel's working his way towards being a top-class mage. As you can tell, he isn't quite perfect. His armor's weaker than mine, and he tends to use a lot of moves that drain his energy quickly. But he _is_ strong," Percy said.

"I wish I had magical powers," Toby muttered. "That way, you wouldn't have to do this all by yourself, Thomas."

Thomas smiled. "Thanks, Toby. It would've been awesome if you did have them, though. I guess Raising Heart chose me to be a suitable partner."

"I don't think she would have liked me very much. I don't like a whole lot of explosions," Toby replied as Percy started applying a healing spell on Thomas.

"Who knows? Most people don't discover they have magic powers until something happens for them to discover it," Percy said.

"Like what happened to me," Thomas said. "Oh yeah, while we're on the subject of training, can you teach me how to change my magic color? Pink doesn't suit me at all."

Percy laughed. "That's something that you'll have to learn later. It's actually pretty hard to do that," he explained.

"I see. So the pink stays for now, huh?"

"I'm afraid so. That's not to say that I don't understand how you feel. When I became a mage, my magic color was orange," Percy said.

"You're kidding!"

"Nope. When Edward became a mage, his was purple. From what he told me, James' was originally white, and Gordon's was originally green. Henry was the only one who's had the same magic color since he became a mage," Percy explained.

"You said you know Gordon, James and Henry from years ago. Were they all your friends?" Thomas asked.

Percy sighed. "Yes and no. We all went to the same school to learn magic. They used to tease me since I was short and farther behind in my class. But they stuck up for me and tried to give me advice; not that any of it worked though, because I often got into trouble."

"How'd Edward get into this?"

"Edward was a teacher at the academy. He was known for sticking to the rules, and having a strict code; that's the reason why he doesn't have a lot of attacks in the first place. I ended up being tutored by him after I failed my first year in the academy, and before long, I ended up graduating as a B- mage," Percy said.

"What exactly caused you all to have a falling out?" Toby asked.

The question made Percy jerk upright, as if it had been a slap to the face. "It had been years ago, when we were all graduating. Gordon, James, Henry, Edward and I had been great friends, but soon, we all had to go our separate ways. Edward ended up losing his job at the academy, and he had to work as one of Diesel 10's Counts. He hated it, and I tried to convince him to move out, but he said that he had to keep an eye on those three. He tried to get them out when he saw the danger, but they didn't listen. At this rate, it's looks like they're never going to come back to our side."

Thomas and Toby exchanged looks. At once they felt bad for prying into Percy's life.

"Sorry we asked. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, Percy," Thomas said.

"That's alright. I never told anyone about it, and neither has Edward. But I can trust you can keep this a secret, Thomas. You will, won't you?" Percy said.

"You can count on me," Thomas replied proudly. Beside him, Toby nodded.

"Thanks, guys." Just then, the doors slid open and Sir Handel came back. Compared to earlier, he looked more serious than Thomas had ever seen him.

"Thomas, it's about time for you guys to head out. Toby, we're going to take you back to the dorms until those two come back. It's going to be a while until then," he said.

"Alright then." Toby then turned to Thomas. "Don't go and get yourself killed, Thomas."

"Hey, there's no need to worry about me!" Thomas replied. "I can take care of myself. Plus, Percy's with me."

"Well, don't just stand there! Get going! Time is of the essence, people!" Sir Handel barked.

"Okay, we're going! Geez! Are you ready to go, Raising Heart?" Thomas said.

_"Yes, my master."_

"Come on, Percy. We've got a page to catch!" Thomas replied. Before Percy could say anything, the other man was out the door, and Percy had to run to catch up to him. Toby and Sir Handel watched the scene in surprise.

"I'll never have stamina like that," Toby muttered.

* * *

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" a man screamed as Diesel started throwing massive energy attacks at the workers. It had been a normal day until the Devious Count had appeared and started stealing weapons. When the workers had tried to fight back, Diesel merely rolled them over with one of his attacks. After that, there was nothing but chaos.

After the last of the workforce had fled the building, Diesel went over to the large power converter and pulled out several large glass tubes. He opened the generator, put the tube in, and it started to fill up with yellow energy. Diesel smiled as he filled up each one. This was too easy.

Right when he had inserted the last tube, there was an explosive crash that occurred on the other side of the power plant. Diesel turned to see that the large steel doors had been blown off their hinges and were coming at him fast. He jumped away just as the doors smashed into the generator, destroying the containers, and caused the generator to start whirring uncontrollably.

"Crap," he muttered as he scrambled to find a safe place to hide. He barely had time to jump behind a wall as the generator exploded, sending hot metal and stray energy beams flying everywhere. Diesel put up a shield as the debris flew over him. When the shower of fire and the thunderous explosion ceased, he put down his shield and looked ahead of him.

Two people were standing about five feet away from him, and were coming towards him rapidly. One of them was a midget who held a spear for a weapon. The other was taller, and had a weapon with an odd shape at the top. Diesel then remembered the message he'd sent to the Bureau, and smirked. He could take care of them easily.

"Hello, Enforcers," he said lazily. He stood upright, and set his weapon back to normal. "Lovely day we're having, huh?"

"Cut the chatter, Diesel," the shorter man said. He pointed his spearhead Device at him. "I'm Enforcer Charlie, and I'm here to place you under arrest in the name of the law!"

Diesel laughed. "Oh really? You think you and the other guy can stop me? From what I can tell, he's just some crazy old man!" he said.

That brought the attention of the taller man. He stepped forward, allowing Diesel to see him fully. His smirk vanished when he realized who it was.

"Crazy old man, huh? I think you're forgetting who you're talking to, _Diesel_," Edward growled.

"Why you…" Diesel was furious now, ready to slice Edward right then and there. The three men glared at each other, waiting for one of them to make a move.

"Well then," Diesel said, the smirk returning on his face, "this'll be an interesting fight."

"I'm gonna wipe that smirk right off your face!" Charlie yelled. Before Edward could stop him, the smaller man shot off a beam of yellow light at the Devious Count, sending him backwards. There was a massive crash as Diesel slammed into another generator, knocking it over.

Edward stared at Charlie in shock. "Charlie, I think you might want to take it down a notch," he said.

"Unless you want to beat him, we'd better keep this up, Edward," Charlie replied. His purple eyes had darkened in anger.

"Charlie-"

"You're gonna pay for that, you little shrimp!" Diesel roared, and came flying out of the wreckage with his scythe raised over his head. He flung the scythe upwards, and the head separated to form a large chain. It circled around in a large circle before the blade came crashing to the ground. Charlie jumped out of the way, but Edward got hit, and the impact sent him flying halfway across the field. He struck the ground with a sickening splat.

"EDWARD!" Charlie screamed. The man didn't move. Behind him, Diesel began to laugh.

"Even Edward can't beat me! I'll destroy this entire town…like I did yours," he said, grinning evilly.

Those last few words seem to have startled Charlie, as his eyes widened in shock. He stared at Diesel, who stood there with that evil smirk on his face.

"What are you talking about, Diesel?" he asked.

"Didn't you remember? It was that small town on the other side of Crystania, where you used to live. A couple of years ago, Diesel 10 sent me on a mission to find an artifact there. When they refused to let me see it, D-10 ordered me to burn down the whole town," Diesel said. "With everyone in it."

Charlie's expression was a mixture of horror and rage. He gripped Strata so tightly, it vibrated with the force. "M-My suspicions were right…you were the one who destroyed my town! And you killed my friends!"

"But of course. All of the most destructive jobs go to me." Diesel's lips twisted to form a cruel smirk. "I'm going to have fun wreaking havoc on this town, like I did back then. Once I'm finished here, I'm going to the labs to recover Whiff's equipment-and then I'll destroy the lab. It's going to be fun."

Charlie's voice was harsh. "Strata. Drive Mode. Now."

_"But, Master-"_

"I said Drive Mode, NOW!" Charlie snapped. After a moment of hesitation, Strata converted to his master's desired form. Charlie's magic triangle appeared underneath him, glowing with power.

"Looks like I touched a nerve," Diesel said, getting into battle position. Charlie's eyes were dark with rage.

"You've already destroyed one town! You won't touch this one!" he yelled. "Activate Strike Flame!"

_"Strike Flame opened,"_ Strata replied. A yellow energy bayonet appeared at the tip of the Device. Lightning started to surround the bayonet. An electric hum filled the air as Strata was preparing to launch.

"Let's see how powerful the number 14 Enforcer really is!" Diesel taunted as he swung the chain again. The tip of the falling scythe blade was aimed at Charlie.

But the Device had already charged the attack. _"Ready to go, Master!"_ he replied.

_"Lightning Driver!"_ Charlie yelled, and he launched forward. Diesel threw up a shield, but the Enforcer crashed straight into it, pushing him backwards and through the field of generators. Although the Devious Count was doing his best to hold up, it was no use as the Strike Flame pierced through his barrier and slashed at his armor. Diesel had no time to react as he was electrocuted by the attack. He hovered in midair, screaming as the lightning climbed all over him.

Once he got down, Charlie changed Strata to its Shooting Mode. The tip of the Device widened, turning it into a cannon of sorts. A yellow sphere of lightning was forming in front of the Device, and Charlie aimed it at Diesel.

At that moment, Diesel was falling from the sky, severely weakened by the Lightning Driver attack. When he opened his eyes, he saw the attack that Charlie was preparing to shoot. His eyes widened in shock.

"What the-"

_"Take this! Lightning Smasher!" _The large beam of lightning thundered towards Diesel, who couldn't even turn himself right side up. It hit him head on, creating a massive explosion that took out two generators. Within seconds, the other generators in the area went up like matchsticks, adding more to the destruction.

Charlie panted, thoroughly exhausted. Lightning Smasher and Lightning Driver were two of his most powerful attacks, and they used up most of his energy. Before he could even move, a series of black strings sprung up from beneath his feet, wrapping around him and binding his arms to his sides. No matter how hard he struggled, Charlie couldn't move.

"Crap!" he breathed, trying to think of a way to get out of the binding spell. Just then, he heard footsteps, and looked up to see Diesel walking out of the inferno. His eyes were dark as thunderclouds, and he looked ready to seriously hurt Charlie.

"A little more effort, _Enforcer_," he spat out, "and you could have killed me." He then disappeared, and Charlie looked around, trying to find him. All of a sudden, unspeakable pain hit him in the back, and he found himself being lifted off of his feet and falling onto a pile of scrap metal. Rolling around on the ground, the world spun until he finally stopped. Diesel was preparing to charge a beam of black energy at him. His smirk from earlier was long gone.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you, like I did to your friends," he said. _"Diabolic-"_

_"Stinger Blade Execution Shift!"_

Diesel had no time to react as massacre of blue missiles rained down from the sky, hitting him head on. The world went blue for a moment, and then went black for Charlie. The Diabolic Emission that Diesel was charging was destroyed from the attack, and the Devious Count went flying backwards into the ground.

Diesel coughed, sitting up from the impact of the attack. He heard footsteps behind him, but didn't turn around. He already knew who had fired that attack.

"You haven't changed a bit, old man," he laughed. "That actually stung a little."

Edward didn't find this funny at all. "Unless you want me to actually hurt you, Diesel, I'd suggest you leave," he said angrily.

Diesel snorted. "Spoil sport. Just when I was having fun," he said. He then stood up. "But I'd be more concerned about the damage if I were you, Edward. The power company's not going to be too happy." Then he took off for the sky, leaving Edward in the midst of the burning power company.

After Diesel left, Edward ran towards Charlie, who was laying unconsciously on a pile of scrap metal. He turned on his communicator. "Captain Hodge, come in! It's an emergency!"

There was a moment of static, and then Duke's voice came on the line. _"Yes, Edward, what is it?"_

"I need you to send Harold here right away. Charlie's down, and Diesel escaped!"

_"What about the power generators?"_

"We destroyed the containers that Diesel had filled up, but I was knocked out during the fight. When I woke up, all of the generators were destroyed," he said.

There was a pause and then Duke asked, _"Did Charlie cause the destruction?"_

"I think so, sir," Edward replied.

Another pause. _"I'll tell Harold to pick you two up. The other Enforcers have the labs locked down. Diesel won't get any of Whiff's equipment anytime soon."_

"Thank you, Captain. Edward out." Edward signed off and picked up the small, unconscious form of Charlie. He looked awful, as he had cuts and bruises all over his legs. His white overcoat looked like it had been run through a blender.

Edward sighed. _Charlie, why didn't you listen to me...?_

**To be continued…**

_Next act:_

Duke: I can't believe this! Charlie, the next time you pull another stunt like that, you're losing your job!

Sir Handel: I tried to tell you it was a bad idea to let him go out there to fight Diesel. It was a very personal issue.

Duke: Even if it was, he could have at least known to control his emotions long enough to do his job!

Sir Handel: Granpuff, may I remind you of the incident with Diesel 10 and his Grace?

Duke (angry): Don't push it, Falcon.

(Next scene shows Percy and Thomas in Vicarstown.)

Thomas: Hey, I think I see the Counts over on the other side of the mountain.

Percy: My energy readings tell me that the page is located there. Let's go!

Diesel 10: Is that Device finished yet, McPherson?

Whiff: Yes, it's finally finished. I've done my work for you; now will you let me go?

(Diesel 10 then backhands Whiff halfway across the table, sending him to the floor.)

Diesel 10: When and if I feel like letting you go! Until I find out what this Device does, you're not going anywhere!

_Stay tuned for Act 6: The Hunt is On!_

**_Sorry for not updating. If you haven't visited my profile, my grandmother passed away two weeks ago, so we were taking care of family business and everything. Please keep my family in your prayers, everyone._**

**_I'm writing out a character analysis for the characters and an outline as I'm typing this. Charlie's past and bad history with Diesel will be explained in a later chapter. Duke and the others are actually pretty fun to write, but I don't want to leave the main characters hanging in the dust. Next chapter is going to be the last chapter where we have lots of huge fight scenes, as I want to use the next three chapters afterwards to do some character development-mainly with the three Counts and Diesel 10. After that, we'll do more on the plot._**

**_See you around, and please R&R._**

**_-iheartgod175_**


	6. Act 6: The Hunt is On!

Thomas stared at the large portal in surprise. It was huge, about the size of several football fields. The colors were a mixture of blues and pinks as well as greens.

"Whoa, that is so cool!" Thomas said at last.

Percy nodded. "This is just one of the portals that we use to get to other places. There was one I saw that was bigger than the entire Bureau HQ…although, I think it was wormhole," Percy replied.

"This looks like it came straight out of Star Trek," Thomas said.

"Alright, you two, quit enjoying the scenery." Sir Handel's voice came on the intercom above. "You two do have a mission to accomplish."

"Right." Thomas pulled out the small jewel from his pocket. "Ready to go, Raising Heart?"

_"Yes, my master,"_ the jewel replied. _"Standby Ready, set up." _In a bright flash of pink light, Thomas had donned his Barrier Jacket. Percy stared at him in awe.

_To think that he's already activated his Device without the standard command phrase…this guy really is powerful, _Percy thought to himself. With a snap of his fingers, Percy activated his Barrier Jacket.

"Let's do this," Thomas said eagerly, and he and Percy both flew into the portal. As soon as they were gone, the massive tunnel of light disappeared from sight. Sir Handel knew that he'd have to activate it later to send Thomas and Toby back to Sodor.

As he was getting ready to leave the booth, the doors to the booth flew open. For the second time today, Freddie was standing there, nearly out of breath.

"Freddie, can't you knock on the door like everyone else?" Sir Handel asked. His smirk disappeared when he saw Freddie's worried look. "What's going on?"

Freddie's response was grave. "It's Charlie, Sir Handel. He's been beaten down."

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

This Chapter: September 20th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: As promised, the sixth Act is going to be filled with lots of surprises. The hunt for the first page of Book begins now!

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 6: The Hunt is On!

Vicarstown was a small country town in between the mainland and the coast. Due to its history and various sights, it was a hotspot for many tourists who visited the island. Normally, it was sunny and inviting, but during the winter there was plenty of overcast and snow, something virtually unheard of in a town near the coast.

Gordon's mood was as dark as the clouds. He rubbed his arms, trying to put some warmth in them. Why Diesel 10 would send them to find the page in the snow was beyond him. He'd never liked cold weather, preferring to stay indoors and let someone like Henry do it. But he had enough sense to keep his mouth shut. Nobody who talked back to Diesel 10 survived the madman's onslaught.

Speaking of Henry, the Crossfire Count was using his Wide Area Search spell to find the exact location of the page. Diesel 10 had given them fairly decent directions; most of the time, he left the search to them, which usually took forever. He'd told them that it was supposed to be in one of the hillier areas of town, but they'd already checked two other areas and hadn't found a thing.

After a couple of moments, James had enough. "Haven't you found anything yet, Henry?"

Henry shook his head. "Nope. We're getting nowhere with all of this snow around. I told Cross Mirage to do an extensive search of the areas around, and it hasn't found anything."

"Maybe you should try the area we're standing on, idiot!" James snapped.

Henry turned to him, a dangerous look on his face. "Do you want to find this thing or not?" he asked.

"Alright, that's enough. James, let Henry do his job. Henry, just concentrate on finding the page," Gordon said. Henry turned around and disengaged Cross Mirage's Wide Area Search spell.

"Cross Mirage, I need you do an extensive search of this area alone," he said.

_"Round Area Search conducted." _In a second, a stream of beams shot from the barrel of Cross Mirage and spread out around the field they were on. Henry closed his eyes as each of the beams penetrated deep into the snow, heading towards the earth.

Then, about ten feet away from him, he felt a massive swell of energy. His eyes snapped open and he turned around, pointing at where he felt the energy at.

"It's right under there," he said.

"NOW we're getting somewhere!" James said. If it meant less time to spend in the snow, then it was good news for him. The three Counts went over to the place where Henry had pointed at and looked around confused.

"How deep is it buried?" Gordon asked. James pulled out a small pager from his pocket and scanned the area. When the number pulled up on the screen, he groaned.

"This thing says it's nearly twenty feet under! How are we going to get under there?" James growled.

Gordon didn't answer, but merely brandished Levantine from its scabbard. It shined brightly, despite the limited sunlight. "That's where our other skills come in, James," he said.

James took the hint, and smirked as he pulled out Graf Eisen. "I always loved this part of my job."

* * *

When Harold landed on the runway, he was treated to the sight of fifty officers, generals, lieutenants and the captain himself standing in the garage. All of them looked grim and worried, but Duke's face was a mixture of anger and other emotions he couldn't quite place.

"Guys, you've got a welcoming committee," he said to the two passengers in the back. Edward and Charlie were sitting behind the pilot's chair. Charlie had woken up about ten minutes ago, and compared to earlier, he was much more subdued then before. Duke was going to have a field day with this.

When the helicopter landed, Edward got up, and was about to walk out when Charlie grabbed his arm. Edward stared at him in surprise. "Charlie, what are you-"

"Eddie, I have to go out there. You didn't do anything wrong; I did. Duke told us not to be reckless on this mission, and I disobeyed him. I have to face him on my own," the shorter man replied quietly. Although he was trying to sound brave, the hand that held onto Edward's forearm was shaking.

Edward shook his head gently, and lightly grasped Charlie's hand. The Enforcer looked up at him in surprise.

"I've heard Duke is pretty ruthless when it comes to lecturing. It'll probably help you feel better if you had someone to go with you," Edward said.

"Thanks, Edward. But you really didn't have to come." Charlie moved away from Edward and went to the back of the helicopter. "Well then, let's get this over with." Edward nodded, and Harold lowered the hatch. When they were walking down, the first people they saw were Peter Sam, Sir Handel and Duke. The captain's face was dangerous. Charlie swallowed a hard lump in his throat as he faced his superiors.

Duke's first words cut through the air like glass. "Charlie. Kindly explain to me why you nearly destroyed the power plant when I ordered you to not do anything reckless," he said.

Charlie's words poured out in a rush. "Sir, when Diesel knocked out Edward, he then threatened to destroy the town! I couldn't let him do that. Then he mentioned that he was the one who destroyed another town several years back. After that, I…" He swallowed hard. "I lost control."

"We saw that." Duke's voice was stern. "Even if he said something that made you angry, an Enforcer is trained to never get emotionally involved in incidents like this. Anyone who works in the Bureau knows that well. Well, I should say almost anyone."

Edward got a glimpse of Charlie's face. His face was tight, his mouth was trembling slightly, and his eyes were darkening with rage. Before he could do anything, the Enforcer started to speak.

"You think I don't know that?" The man's reply seemed to have startled the captain. "I've trained as an Enforcer for years, working on cases where I did everything in my power to not get involved emotionally. When you first gave me this assignment, I assumed I'd be able to handle it. But you don't know Diesel like I do, Captain.

"Diesel used to live in my town. He's the kind of person who would light things on fire just for the fun of it. I never trusted him, never. And when it turned out that he was the one who destroyed the town of Hillcrest-where I'm from-and killed nearly all of the people I knew with no remorse, I wanted to teach him a lesson. And it felt really good being able to finally get revenge," he said. His voice had taken on a sharper edge, one that made Edward flinch.

Duke seemed to notice this as well. "It was a mistake on my part to send you on this assignment due to conflict of personal interest. I hope you managed to leave a good impression him, because you need to sit out on a few of the next missions for a while."

When Duke said that, something in the back of Charlie's eyes snapped. Before Edward could do anything, the shorter man had whipped out Strata and pointed it at the captain. Gasps and screams went through the crowd, and Sir Handel pulled out his Device. But Duke held out an arm to stop him.

"What are you doing, Granpuff? The kid's gone mad!" he said.

"No, let me handle this. I know how to get through to him," Duke replied. He stepped forward, and Charlie stepped back.

"Charlie, for your own good, I'm going to have to put you on probation along with Edward and Percy. Until you learn to control yourself and not act so recklessly when you're attacking people, I cannot allow you to go out there and possibly get yourself killed."

Charlie now had tears running down his face. "You don't understand! I've held myself together when I was fighting against other opponents. Yet when I fight against a sworn enemy, you say I've lost control!"

"Charlie, that's enough," Duke said quietly.

"You say you want to build us up to be strong warriors, but all you're really doing is keeping us down! You won't let people use their full strength in battle, and you hold people down for the lightest of offenses! What kind of a captain does that?!" Charlie yelled.

Sir Handel pointed his gun at Charlie. "Say one more word, punk, and I'll blow your mouth clean off!" he snarled. Duke put a hand on his gun, and shook his head.

"I told you I was going to handle this." He then turned to Charlie. "I'm sorry, Charlie…but you need to cool your head a little." He pointed at the raging Enforcer, and a brown magic triangle appeared beneath his feet. "Edward, step back. What I'm going to do may cause you to get hurt as well." The other man quickly moved over.

Charlie raised Strata into the air, and an entourage of bullets surrounded him. "I'm warning you, Duke! I still have magic in me, and I won't hesitate to use it against you!"

"…Perhaps you do need that head cooling after all." A small ring of brown bullets surrounded his finger. _"Crossfire…"_

That did it for Charlie. _"ELECTRIC RAI-"_

_"Shoot." _The brown bullets all converged into a sphere, and the sphere shot forwards, hitting Charlie head on. An explosion rattled the area as Charlie's spheres were destroyed and part of Harold's helicopter had been taken out. The helicopter pilot came running out, completely disregarding what was going on. He looked furious.

"Could you explain to me what the heck is going on?" he asked rudely. Duke pointed at the smoke cloud where Charlie had been standing. Harold saw the shorter man's silhouette in the cloud, and the man fell forward, knocked out.

Harold immediately got the message. "Oh."

Sir Handel looked concerned. "Um, sir-"

"Don't worry. I held back." Duke turned around, facing his other officers. "See to it that Charlie gets patched up in the medical bay. I will talk with him later. Dismissed!" The other officers scrambled about quickly, rushing to where Charlie had fallen. A couple of them went over to Edward and were rushing him off to the med bay.

As he was being led away, Edward asked, "Is he going to be okay?"

The officer sighed. "I'm pretty sure he will. It's a good thing the captain held back, otherwise he would've been really screwed."

As he passed through the large doors in the med bay, he couldn't help but wonder what the officer meant by that….

* * *

Upon hearing the chickens squawking, Bulgy got up and grabbed his coat and boots. As he was putting on his gear, he mentally swore to himself that he would send those accursed birds to the nearest poultry store. Anyone who knew Bulgy knew that he hated chickens more than anything. For a former double-deck bus driver, this was an absolute disgrace.

As he stepped outside, he knew something was seriously wrong when he saw a column of smoke rise into the air from one of the hills about fifty miles from where he lived. When he got to the chicken coop, he saw that his neighbor, Trevor, was also looking out at the sight. Worry was all over his face.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," he muttered to himself.

"You're not the only one," Bulgy replied. But before he could go and see what had spooked the chickens, there was a massive explosion that occurred on the hill, sending dirt and rocks shooting into the air like a geyser. Around him, screams filled the air, and panicked neighbors took off, some of them taking their belongings.

"What the heck is going on out there?" Trevor shouted. He soon got his answer, as a man dressed in red and carrying a metal croquet mallet flew over to them. He glared at both farmers with cold eyes.

Bulgy was terrified, but Trevor stood his ground. "Listen, mister. Just who do you think you are? Are you trying to kill everybody here?"

"Maybe. I don't really care what happens to anybody," he said. "However, if you even try to get in my way...this happens." He whipped out a metal sphere, and flung it high into the air.

_"Schwable Fleigen Claymore!"_ the mallet said, and James slammed the sphere into the roof of Bulgy's house. The force of the crash threw Bulgy forward and nearly sent Trevor through the screen door. Splintered wood and roof shillings flew everywhere. The smell of smoke permeated the area then as a blaze erupted on the scene.

Bulgy and Trevor stared at the man in shock, not believing what they were seeing. The guy must've come from another world or something.

"Trevor, what do we do?" Bulgy asked fearfully. Trevor's mouth moved, but no words came out.

"Run fast, mundane. Run like your worst nightmare was following you," the man said.

The two farmers took off running, screaming for help the whole way. Just then a sigh entered the fray.

"Really, James, did you have to destroy the guy's house?" Henry asked.

"Well, do you want any curious townsfolk coming up to the hill?" James retorted.

"Don't forget, we can't let anyone know about magic. We have to put up a barrier, or else we'll get caught," Henry said.

James groaned. "Spoil sport," he said. He raised Graf Eisen into the air.

_"Gerfangis de Magie,"_ the German device replied. Instantly, a large pyramid shaped barrier covered the entire town, eliminating the people and the damage done to the town.

"Happy now?" James asked sarcastically. Before Henry could reply, there was a rumble that shook the sky. Both Counts looked up to see two beams of pink and green light crash through the barrier and slam into the roof of a house. A massive cloud of smoke covered the area where they had crashed.

_"What's going on over there, James?"_ Gordon's voice came into James' head then.

_"I think that annoying brat Percy is back. But I don't recognize the other one…"_

_"The other one is Thomas, you fool! They must've tracked us down. Do what you can to stop them while I search for the page!"_

_"Roger that, Gordon."_ The smoke cloud disappeared, revealing the two mages as Gordon had said. They both looked ready to beat them into the ground.

James got into a fighting stance. "This is a piece of cake. Percy's only here for defense, and Thomas is still a newbie," he said. "That page will be ours in no time."

Thomas looked over at Percy. "Are you ready to get 'em, buddy?"

Percy nodded, his green eyes filled with determination. "Ready when you are, Thomas!"

"You take James, I'll take Henry! Go!" Thomas activated his Flier Fin, and took off for his designated opponent, as did Percy. Within seconds the four became streaks of light in the sky, crashing into each other at record speeds.

James tried to hit Percy with Graf Eisen, but Percy dodged left and right, missing each swing. When James was about to hit him again, Percy aimed a punch at James' midsection. The Iron Count went flying backwards, but Percy wasn't satisfied with that. He disappeared, and appeared behind James before he could react. Percy then sent him flying sky high with a roundhouse kick that caused him to lose his grip on Graf Eisen.

"If I can remember some of my offensive spells, then I should be able to down him long enough to chase after Gordon," he said. Before he could think of any, James flew towards him, rage in his eyes. Graf Eisen was back in his hands, and four metal spheres were flung out in front of him.

"You're going to regret that!" he yelled, and cast another Schwable Fleigen spell. The four spheres sped towards Percy at a rapid speed.

Thinking quickly, he yelled out, _"Round Guarder!"_ and a green bubble surrounded his entire body. The spheres slammed into the shield, exploding, but the shield didn't break at all. Percy disengaged the shield, and started to summon power into his hand. A green orb appeared in his hand.

_"Mystic Arte, Elemental Dynamite!"_ he yelled, and fired the bullet at James. The Iron Count managed to stop it with a shield, and flew straight up to Percy and hit him in the face. He screamed as he hit the ground below.

James smirked evilly. "Aw, come on, Percy. This is so easy it's boring," he said.

Percy climbed out of the hole he'd made, eyes filled with rage. With renewed vigor, he leapt out of the crater and sped towards the Count, summoning every ounce of magic into his body. Soon, a green shield surrounded his body, and it began to grow narrower as he reached maximum speed.

James' smile vanished in an instant. He attempted to put up a shield, but Percy shattered it like it was glass. His eyes widened in shock at this.

"I-Impossible!" he yelled.

_"Protection Smash!"_ Percy caught James in a flying tackle that flung the Iron Count into the roofs of one of the buildings. A massive plume of smoke towered into the air. The young mage stopped for a moment to gasp for air, recovering from using that much energy.

"Now…it's time I go see what Gordon's doing," he said, and took off in the direction of the hill.

* * *

Thomas was beginning to regret not taking Sir Handel seriously. The officer cadet had been right about Henry's control; no matter how many times Thomas used up his Protection spell, the Crossfire Shoot managed to hit him in the back before he could see it. After five minutes, Thomas was ready to give up. He looked up at Henry from his position on the ground. The larger man was loading clips into his guns, emptying it every so often. He looked over at Thomas, a very disinterested look on his face.

"Hmph. Gordon was beaten by you? I'd say he was over exaggerating when he said you were powerful," Henry said. There was a loud _ka-chunk _as Cross Mirage ate up a cartridge and spit out the empty casing. "You're nothing special."

Those last words made Thomas perk up, and he struggled to stand up after his collision with earth. His blue eyes were black with anger.

"You can still stand after the Phantom Blazer I just hit you with? Impressive," Henry said.

Thomas gripped Raising Heart so tightly it vibrated with the force. "You…you think I'm nothing special, huh? Well, I'm here to tell you that you, and everyone else who's told me that, are dead wrong!" he said.

_"Flier Fin activated,"_ Raising Heart said, and Thomas lifted himself into the air, chasing after Henry. The Crossfire Count merely responded by pointing his gun at Thomas.

"Stupid boy," he said. "Let me show you what failure tastes like."

_"Bullet Shot."_ A large green bullet launched towards Thomas, but he merely used Raising Heart as a bat to slam the attack into the ground. Henry stared at the mage in shock.

"W-What? How did he hit my attack?!" he gasped.

"I'll show you 'nothing special', Henry!" Thomas yelled, and converted Raising Heart into Shooting Mode. He pointed up at Henry, who remained frozen in place in fear.

_"Cross Buster,"_ Raising Heart called, and a pink beam of energy sped towards Henry at rapid speeds. By the time the Crossfire Count had decided to move, it was too late, and he was hit by the attack.

Thomas returned Raising Heart back into its Device Mode, and started to charge a Divine Shooter. He fired all eight spheres at the falling Count, and it hit him head on. Henry screamed as he tumbled out of the sky, hurtling towards a nearby house. A huge crash followed as he went through the roof.

Raising Heart let out steam from its exhaust valves, and Thomas panted. Using that Cross Buster attack and Divine Shooter in rapid succession took a lot out of him. It certainly didn't help that Henry had beaten him earlier in the fight.

Just then, Percy's voice came into his head. _"Thomas, are you alright? Where's Henry?"_

_"Don't worry. He won't be bothering us anymore. I just taught him why it's not wise to say I'm nothing special," _Thomas replied.

Percy laughed. _"Well, anyway, I need you to come over here. Gordon's going to be looking for the page, and I'm not powerful enough to stop Gordon alone. I'll need your help."_

_"Alright. I'll be over there in a couple of minutes." _Thomas disengaged their telepathic link, and took off for the hill.

* * *

Gordon thought he was going to collapse. After using five Flying Dragon Flash attacks on the area that Henry had located the page, he had yet to find an opening. Worse, James and Henry had been beaten by Thomas and Percy, and he was in no shape to use his magic. If they were going to make it out of here alive, he'd have to rely on his physical strength to best those two.

As if on cue, Thomas yelled his name. Gordon turned to see Thomas and Percy land on the hill about five feet from him. Both of them looked like they'd been run through the ground, but the determination in their eyes was no joke. As he got into a fighting stance, Gordon wondered if now would be a good time to retreat.

"You're not getting that page, Gordon. The Bureau's onto your plan, and we're going to make sure that we foil it!" Percy said, getting into a fighting position.

Gordon smirked. "Just watch me," he said, and charged for Percy, Levantine ready to tear straight through him. Percy dodged to the side, leaving Thomas wide open. Thinking fast, he put up a Protection spell, but it shattered under the force. Thomas was sent flying backwards and rolled down the hill. He managed to recover before he met his rocky death below.

"You're gonna be sorry you ever did that, Gordon!" he said, and flew up. When he got to the top, Gordon was doing battle with Percy. The support mage was dodging as best as he could, but Gordon found an opening and slammed his sword into Percy's side. He was knocked backwards and hit the ground hard.

"PERCY!" Thomas yelled, frantic. He didn't move. Gordon turned to him then, his eyes filled with deadly rage.

"Now that I've taken care of him, I'll take care of you, newbie!" he said, and took off running, Levantine held high above his head.

Thomas was angry. Raising Heart appeared to pick up on this, as it shifted into Shooting Mode without him saying anything. Immediately, a sphere of pink light appeared in front of the Device.

Gordon, who was a couple of inches away from Thomas, stopped. He stared in shock at the attack Thomas was charging.

"What the-"

"I don't care you are, Gordon: you don't get away with hurting my friends!" Thomas yelled. _"Divine Buster!"_

Gordon had no time to run. The Divine Buster thundered forward, hitting him with the force of fifty trains, and sending him flying off the hill. He hit the next hill with a thud, sticking to the earth.

When that was done, Raising Heart released steam from its exhaust valves again. Thomas said, "Raising Heart, tell me where the page is. If we don't find it now, we're done for!"

The Device appeared to ponder on this. Then, she said, _"Deploying Wide Area Search."_ At once, a hundred pink beams of light shot out, hitting every spot on the hills. Thomas closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on where the page might be.

Then, he found it. At the same spot where Gordon had been hitting at, there was a massive swell of powerful energy. Thomas opened his eyes and flew over to the spot, which was about ten feet from where Percy lay unconscious.

"Don't worry, Percy. I'll seal this thing, and then we can all go home," Thomas said. Summoning another Divine Shooter, he blew away the remaining earth that Gordon had been unable to get through, and saw the page. It glowed brightly, giving off a brilliant gold light that forced Thomas to close his eyes.

_"Sealing Mode, set up."_ The bottom part of the head pushed up to reveal a large gap, and two energy wings appeared in it. Determined, Thomas pointed the staff at the pages.

_"One strike is all it'll take! Transformation Page, seal!" _Thomas yelled. At once, a series of pink strings shot out from Raising Heart, and they started to wrap around the page. The page was soon covered in a bright pink light and it started to shrink.

_"Page of the Book, obey my command! Seal!"_ Thomas said. A bright light appeared then, and the compacted page flew into Raising Heart's jewel.

_"Serial Number 5,"_ the Device reported, and let out more steam. Thomas went over to Percy, who was still unconscious.

Just then, Duke's voice cut in on the pager. _"Thomas, are you alright? Was the mission a success?"_

"Yes, sir. I got the page, and the Counts have been defeated. But Percy's knocked out, and the barrier is still surrounding Vicarstown," Thomas said.

_"I'll tell Sir Handel to create a dimensional transport at once. You two just sit tight,"_ Duke said.

"Yes sir," Thomas replied, and hung up. He looked down at Percy, who remained unconscious. Thomas thought that he was dead for a moment, but it only turned out that he was breathing softly.

"Don't worry, Percy. You'll be back home soon," he said.

* * *

_(Back at the Bureau…)_

When Charlie opened his eyes, white light filled his vision. He was numb from top to bottom and felt like he'd just been run over by a train. Duke was pretty powerful in his own right, but he'd had no idea that the captain could hit that hard.

Apparently, he was the only one alone in the hospital room, as he couldn't hear or see anyone there. The silence was broken when a voice broke through the silence.

"Hello, Charlie. I take it you're feeling a little better?" Edward had just come in the room, wearing a cast on his left arm, and dressed in a plain white shirt and jeans. He pulled a chair over to Charlie's side and sat down.

"I feel like I got run over by a train," Charlie replied. "I had no idea that Duke could hit that hard."

"Duke's one of the more powerful mages in the Bureau, so that's a no brainer. Sir Handel said you were pretty lucky, because if Duke hadn't restrained himself, he would have possibly killed you," Edward said. His tone had dropped an octave lower. "Charlie…about what happened earlier-"

"It's not your fault, Edward. It was entirely mine. I…I lost myself in trying to get revenge, and you ended up getting hurt. The mission was a failure because I was too reckless and I destroyed all the generators. I went off on Duke based on my own feelings, but I completely forgot my oath, and what I'd been told to do. I guess I did deserve that head-cooling from Duke after all," Charlie said.

"…The whole reason Duke gave you that head-cooling was to keep you from doing something that might get yourself killed," Edward replied. "Duke used to be in the same position you're in, Charlie, and his recklessness nearly cost him his life."

Charlie stared at Edward, incredulous. "That's impossible! Duke is one of the most controlled people I know!"

"Back when he was younger, he was pretty well-rounded out. But then, there was an incident that changed all that," Edward said.

"What kind of incident?" Charlie asked.

"That's something that you'll have to take up with either Sir Handel or the captain himself. But I wouldn't recommend it, because he gets really emotional about that sort of thing," Edward explained.

"Or better yet, I can tell you." Both Edward and Charlie swung around to see Sir Handel walk into the room. His grim expression from earlier had returned. "Sorry to waltz in like this, but I know that you're both wondering why Granpuff just went and hit you with his attack."

"Well, I was wondering anyway," Charlie said. Sir Handel made space for himself on the other stool, taking Edward's things and putting them on the floor.

"Get comfy, 'cause it's a long story."

* * *

_(Society of Darkness, Whiff's Laboratory)_

_"The cartridge system is in perfect running condition,"_ BD-01 replied. _"Assault Form set up complete."_

"Thank goodness," Whiff said to himself, rubbing his eyes. It had been nearly ten hours since he'd last stopped to take a break. He couldn't count how many cups of coffee he drank, and his legs felt like lead. It was worth it, however. Now, he could finally turn this over to Diesel 10, and then afterwards he could leave this place.

Just as he was about to check the device modes, the doors opened and in strode Diesel 10. The impatience and fury on his face was as clear as a written message. Whiff gulped as the Diabolical Count leaned in next to him. He smelled of iron, grease and sweat.

"Well, Whiff, you're the only person who can make my day right now. My Counts have failed in retrieving the page I need, and they were beaten by Thomas and Percy." The growl in Diesel 10's voice let the scientist know he was not in the mood for excuses. "I'll only ask this once: is the Device complete?"

Whiff swallowed again. "Y-Yes, sir. The Device is in perfect synchronization with the cartridge system. It now has a new form: Assault," he said. "The only form that isn't available in this new mode is Sealing Mode."

"I see. But there's no need for that. I have a specially made Device for the sealing functions," Diesel 10 said. "I need you to run one more test on the Device, and then we'll have it ready for launch. I want my new addition to start her training as soon as possible."

"I'll make sure everything is in tip-top shape, sir. You can count on it," Whiff replied.

"Good. At least someone hasn't failed me today," Diesel 10 said. He then turned and started to walk away, but then Whiff called out to him.

"Um, sir, I have one question to ask you. After I have done this for you, may I please return to the Device Labs? Y-You said that-"

He didn't finish that sentence. Diesel 10 whirled around and backhanded him full in the face with his left hand. The force of it sent the man flying over the table and crashing into the wall. Beakers and test tubes spilled all over the table, while some crashed to the floor. The scientist stared at the madman with enraged, tear-filled eyes.

"You'll leave when I decide you can leave!" he yelled. "I brought you here to do a job for me, McPherson…and you are far from finished." He then turned around and left the room without another word. The door closed behind him.

Whiff waited until he was gone, and then he started to sob uncontrollably. He'd resisted the urge to do so since coming here, but now with Diesel 10 intent on keeping him here for a long time, it seemed like crying was the only way to get his feelings out. The fatigue, the anger, the hopelessness…all of it was conveyed in the tears he shed.

"G-God….you're the only one who can help me now. Just show me what to do," he sobbed. "Show me what to do here, and help me escape."

It was during this that he felt a wave of peace come over him. And it wasn't just any kind of peace; it was the most overwhelming, beautiful peace that he'd felt in his life. Wiping his eyes, he settled back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling with tired eyes. Suddenly, he didn't feel as worried anymore.

And then he heard a voice in his head: _There is no reason to fear, Whiff. I will watch over you and protect you from your enemies._

Whiff didn't need to guess who that had been. He closed his tired eyes, and smiled. "Thank You, God. Thank You for watching out for me."

With this peace washing over him, the scientist relaxed and let himself drift into a peaceful sleep-and in his dreams, Diesel 10 didn't haunt him.

**To be continued…**

Next act:

Thomas: Percy's gonna be okay, right?

Peter Sam: Of course. It's a good thing you didn't go overboard with your powers. Now, don't you and Toby have to go home?

Thomas: Oh, yeah! I almost forgot.

Sir Handel: Duke used to work for the Duke of Sodor years ago, back when he used to live on Earth. That's where we used to live as well, before the DDAB called us. And then, there was a small problem there…

Charlie: Define 'small'.

Sir Handel (sighing): Diesel 10 had sent Diesel to capture Duke and bring him back to the Dream Dimension. We refused…and then, things got real ugly.

James: Do you think that the boss is gonna be mad? I mean, after all, we didn't get the page of the Book back like he asked.

Gordon: I think mad would be an understatement, James. He's pretty furious with us right about now.

Henry: If only we had more powerful systems to enhance our magic…

Diesel 10 (who has suddenly appeared): That won't be a problem. Whiff has offered to fit all of your Devices with the cartridge system.

Whiff (who is listening on the others side): I have?!

Stay tuned for Act 7: An Important Experience

**_Sorry for taking forever on this thing. I wanted to get done with this sooner, but I wanted to make sure that it was done right, since I hate rushing to finish things. Writer's block is not fun._**

**_The reason why Duke knocked out Charlie was basically because of an incident where he was also acting reckless, and nearly died from his actions. He was not shooting him down for no random reason. Next chapter, we'll learn all about it, and Thomas, Percy and Toby will be heading back to Sodor. I have an opening planned for this story, and I might eventually post it next chapter._**

**_Sorry for the long wait, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!_**

**_God Bless, iheartgod175_**


	7. Act 7: An Important Experience

When Gordon woke up again, the first person he saw was Diesel. The Devious Count smirked upon seeing his fellow Count's angry and irritable expression.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he teased mockingly. Gordon pushed him to the side, and sat up, trying to remember what happened to him. His body felt like it had been hit by a wrecking ball. The last thing he remembered was a pink beam of light speeding towards him….

At last, he remembered everything-and he remembered who had shot that beam.

"Thomas…" he growled. He looked around to see that both Thomas and Percy were gone, and that the barrier had disappeared. He balled his hand into a fist, enraged.

"Yeah, they got away with the page after Thomas pretty much buried you into the hill," Diesel said. "Henry and James are coming around in a little bit, and are they mad!"

"I have no need for your commentary, Diesel," he said. When he got up, Diesel 10's image appeared on hologram. The expression on his face was dangerous, and Gordon knew that he was screwed.

_"Gordon, you, James and Henry must come to my office immediately. There are things that we need to discuss," _the Diabolical Count said.

"Y-Yes, sir. We'll be on our way," Gordon replied weakly. Once Diesel 10's image had disappeared, Diesel started laughing.

"Boy, are you three in for it," he said

"Shut up, Diesel." James came over then, with Henry in tow. The sour look on his face could be seen for miles. "Just get the dimensional transport ready."

"Alright, alright. No need to rush," Diesel said. He summoned his magic circle under his feet, and recited the coordinates for their home base.

_"Take us to the Society of Darkness, on point!"_ At once, a large blue portal appeared over their heads.

"I hope Diesel 10 doesn't use the Punisher on us again," Henry said. No one replied as they were sucked into the portal.

(Okay, the opening for this is "Eternal Blaze" by Nana Mizuki!)

_Haruka sora hibiiteru inori wa kiseki ni_

_(Resounding in the distant sky, my prayers turn into miracles)_

(Footage: We see Percy, Edward and Thomas standing in a lone field. The camera zooms in and gets a close up of the three in turn before it zooms out and goes up to the sky. During the short instrumental, we cut to a cloudy background where the words _Powers beyond your wildest dreams_ appears and then disappears. When the guitar kicks in, the _Sodor Magic Crusaders_ logo shows up. The clouds and the logo disappear, revealing Tidmouth below.)

_Mayonaka no ao ni tokete nagareteku namida no tsubu_

_(My flowing teardrops melt into the deep blue hues of the late-night sky)_

(Footage: The camera pans across Gordon, who is standing on top of a building with Levantine in his hand. We cut to a bedroom where James is modifying Graf Eisen.)

_Mayoinaku tsutsuminoku nukumori ni deatta_

_(I met with the warmth which eagerly enveloped me.)_

(Footage: Henry is seen on the couch, powering up Cross Mirage. Diesel 10, who is facing a computer, turns and looks at the camera, an evil smile on his lips.)

_Masshiro na yuki no you ni_

_(Pure as snow)_

(Footage: Percy is seen in his regular form, while a larger screen shows him in his transformed state and in a fighting stance.)

_Dokomademo sunao na kotoba_

_(Your thoroughly honest words)_

(Footage: Thomas is seen below in his regular form and in a fighting stance, while the larger screen shows him transformed. He mouths the "words" of the song.)

_Tetsu no hane matotta boku wo ugokashiteku_

_(Moved me when I was bound by iron feathers)_

(Footage: Edward rushes up to meet the mages in a park, and the three hold their Devices in the air.)

_Kizutsuku tabi yasashiku nareru_

_(Each time you hurt me, I can become kinder)_

(Footage: The screen splits into three as Percy, Edward and Thomas each transform. Their transformations complete, the three pose together against a blue backdrop.)

_Kimi no sono egao dake mamorinukitai_

_(I only want to protect your smile to the very end.)_

(Footage: Charlie gives a thumbs up while typing on a computer, with Sir Handel behind him. Duke is at the bridge of his ship, issuing orders. The scene then cuts to the three mages flying in the air, and they give one another a confident look.)

_Negai wa hitotsu_

_(That's my only wish.)_

(Footage: Soon, they focus ahead, and the camera zooms out as they fly towards the town.)

_Toki wo koe kizamareta kanashimi no kioku_

_(My sad memories pass through even time…)_

(Footage: Percy and Gordon are in a fierce duel with each other. Percy leaps away just as Gordon converts Levantine into its Snake Form and swings his chain around.)

_Massugu ni uketomeru kimi wa hikari no tenshi_

_(The one who will accept them is you, my angel of light.)_

(Footage: James throws four metal spheres in front of him, while Edward fires a Stinger Blade. Soon, their weapons clash. At the "tenshi" part, Charlie flies to escape Gordon's chains, and Edward shoots a beam attack.)

_Ano hi mune ni tomotta eien no honoo_

_(The eternal blaze that ignited in my chest that day)_

(Footage: We cut to Henry, who creates a massive entourage of energy bullets. Thomas responds by shooting a Divine Buster, which envelops the screen.)

_Fukai yami tokihanate jiyuu no tobira hiraiteku_

_(Will release the abyssal darkness and open the door to freedom…)_

(Footage: A mysterious girl with dark brown hair and green eyes is standing in a black background, holding Bardiche. Surrounding her are the pages of the Book of Transformation. She turns towards the sky, the pages flying across the screen. They disappear, and Percy, Edward and Thomas fly into the city, where they turn back into their regular forms before landing on the ground.)

_Tsuyoku hatenai mirai he_

_(We'll move confidently towards the endless future.)_

(Footage: Each of the mages' weapons- Cross Mirage, Graf Eisen, Levantine, Bardiche, S2U, Strata and Raising Heart-are shown quickly before we cut to Edward, Percy, Charlie and Thomas looking at the sunset, their Devices at their sides. The camera pans to the sky, where the _Sodor Magic Crusaders _logo flashes across the screen.)

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

This Chapter: September 30th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: Act 7 brings in character development, and the reason behind Duke giving that 'head-cooling' to Charlie. There is some abuse and mentions of blood. Feel free to skip if you must.

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 7: An Important Experience

Toby nearly leaped out of his seat at the sound of the portal reopening. Thomas and Freddie walked in, with the latter carrying Percy on his back. The blond mage was slumped over, unconscious and covered in various bruises.

"Thomas! Are you alright?" Toby ran over to his friend. The holes in his jacket and the tears in his shirt let Toby know that the battle they had been through was not an easy one.

"I feel a little cooked, but I'm alright," he said. "I'll need an ice pack for my bruises and all. But it was all worth it."

"You actually got the page?" Toby asked. Thomas nodded.

"We'll need to take that to Peter Sam. He'll have to put a special seal on it so it won't go out of control again," Freddie said. "I'll take Percy to the medical bay. You two stay put."

"Okay," Thomas said. Once Freddie and Percy were gone, he turned to Toby. "So, what have you been doing while I was gone?"

"Mostly worrying about getting home," Toby said. "It would also be awesome if I had magical powers of my own. Then, I could help you in this fight. Speaking of which, who did you end up fighting anyway?"

"We were fighting against those Counts who had shown up to Tidmouth- Gordon, Henry and James. Percy ended up getting knocked out, so I took care of Gordon and Henry. Afterwards, I managed to secure the page," he said.

"A 3-on-2 fight, huh?" Toby mused. "Well, it's a good thing none of the other people were there. They're a little busy with something important."

"What's that?"

"Edward and Charlie came back from their mission, and apparently, they didn't do so hot," Toby said. "I think the problem was that Charlie went overboard with his powers. He nearly destroyed a power plant fighting Diesel, Thomas. I think that's pretty serious."

"I'd say." Thomas sighed as he deactivated his Barrier Jacket. Raising Heart returned to its jewel form, and Thomas placed the jewel in his pocket. "So, what did you tell Mr. Coulson?"

"I told him that both of us ended up getting sick, but that we'd be ready to go December 16th," Toby replied. He shrugged. "I didn't really know what else to say, really."

"Well, that's better than saying that one of your friends became a mage before exams started," Thomas laughed. The door opened, and Freddie returned carrying an ice pack.

"Here you go Thomas. That should help with some of the bruises for a while, until Peter Sam can come in to heal you," he said.

"Thanks," Thomas said. "I'll feel so much better when I get home."

"Don't forget that we have to go home and study for our exams, Thomas," Toby pointed out.

"Thanks for reminding me, Toby," Thomas growled.

* * *

_(Diesel 10's Society of Darkness)_

When the Counts walked into the room, they were surprised to see that Diesel 10 wasn't there yet. Normally after they had failed a mission, their boss would be in the room, waiting to chew them out or even give them several good whacks with the Punisher. Apparently, he was doing something else at the moment.

Diesel saw their stunned expressions, and scoffed. "Don't look too surprised. He's checking up on the rest of his experiments. Wait here. I'll go get him." The Devious Count was soon out of the room.

Henry turned to Gordon, an anxious look on his face. "What could he possibly be up to now?" he asked.

"I don't think I want to find out," James said. He tossed Graf Eisen on the table and collapsed into the chair. "The least we can do is to just sit back and relax until he gets back."

"I don't know if we even can relax. You know how the boss is with failure!" Henry said.

"Got any better ideas other than panicking?" James retorted.

"Alright, that's enough both of you," Gordon said tiredly. He wasn't in the mood for another argument. "When Diesel gets back, we'll figure out his mood from there."

His question was answered when the door slid open and Diesel 10 walked in. The look on his face was dangerous, and in his right hand was the weapon that all of the Counts feared: the Punisher. James leaped up from his spot in the chair and stood at attention. Henry went pale in the face, and Gordon stared straight ahead, his body rigid.

Diesel 10 stopped when he was about a few inches from the three. His sunken eyes were dark with rage.

"Gordon. Kindly explain to me why you're here after failing to recover the page," he snapped.

"It wasn't my fault, sir. I gave it everything I had, but we didn't count on Percy and Thomas showing up," he said.

"Don't give me sorry excuses!" Diesel 10 roared, and in a swift motion struck the Sword Count hard with the staff. The crack resounding through the air sent a visible shiver through Henry as Gordon crumbled to the floor. Diesel silently made his way out of the room, muttering something under his breath.

"You're supposed to be the undefeatable forces of my society. You work under the most powerful mage in the history of the Dream Dimension, no less!" He swung the Punisher at Henry, knocking him down with little effort as well. The Crossfire Count let out an involuntary scream of pain as he was hit.

"But now, you come to me with these sorry excuses, allowing yourself to be beaten by a mage who's barely had any basic training! You've been trained here for years! You should have beaten them!" he yelled. He picked James up by the front of his jacket and tossed him to the other side of the room. The Iron Count hit the wall with a sickening crash.

"I've told you three over and over, 'Only actions can show the strength of your loyalty'. But alas, you come to me with pitiful excuses that are signs of your weakness. I can't accept that, not with knowing how important the Book of Transformation is to my plans. I will not tolerate such insubordination!"

Diesel 10 walked over to the other side, and pulled James to a sitting position. He dragged the Iron Count to where Gordon and Henry were starting to recover. He threw James in the middle, sending him sprawling to the ground. The Diabolical Count walked in front of the three then, holding the Punisher up to his face.

"It seems that further instruction is required. A reminder for what happens to those who fail me," Diesel 10 said.

Gordon grimaced. He knew what was coming. He clenched his jaw shut, steeling himself for impact.

CRACK!

The first person to let out a scream of pain wasn't Henry, but it was Gordon. Diesel 10 hit the same spot on his face where he'd been hit earlier with more force.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

It wasn't long before each of the Counts was writhing in pain. Their wounds felt like they were on fire as Diesel 10 hit them in a row.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Gordon slumped forward as the beating was finally over. He could barely see with the film of blood in his eyes. Beside him, he could feel James shaking, and Henry was stifling a sob. However, his head hurt so much that it took all it had in him to think straight.

"I trust that you've learned your lesson?" Diesel 10 asked quietly.

"Yes sir," Gordon managed. James said nothing and Henry merely sobbed a reply.

"Good. I'd hate to put my Counts in any more pain than necessary. I have my men searching for the next page as we speak. When we find it, I want you to go down there and find it. If anything gets in your way…crush it. Show no mercy or kindness-especially to your former comrades. If you fail me again, the consequences will be much worse. The more pages you get, the bigger of an advantage you'll have," Diesel 10 said. "Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes sir," the three said in unison.

"Good. I'd hurry if I were you. The clock is ticking, you know," the Diabolical Count said. He walked out of the room without even looking back at the three Counts.

Once his footsteps had disappeared down the hall, Henry let out an anguished cry of pain. He crumpled into a massive heap, sobbing uncontrollably. On his left, James was beginning to shed tears of his own. He slammed his hand on the ground and began to swear profusely.

Tears were also starting to form in Gordon's eyes. His boss had never been this angry before; not for him to use the Punisher like this. It must be a very serious thing for him to react this way if the pages were needed that badly.

But then he remembered that there were only seven pages that had been ripped out. If Thomas, Percy and the others kept retrieving the pages, it wouldn't take much for them to lose the battle. And from what Diesel 10 had been saying, he wanted the pages back in a certain amount of time.

Gordon rose to his feet, nearly falling forward as he did so. He walked over and stood in between Henry and James. It devastated him to see his two friends like this, but he had to get them going. He had to be the strong one. He placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Guys, come on. We need to get to bed. Tomorrow, we can decide on what to do about this," he said. That got them up on their feet, and Gordon steered them towards the door on the other side of the room.

"Why…why does he have to be so cruel?" Henry muttered as they went inside. Gordon exhaled softly as they went down the halls to their rooms.

_That's a question I should ask him, Henry. _

* * *

_(DDAB's Medical Center)_

Charlie watched curiously as Sir Handel pulled down the projector screen. On it, there were two pictures of Duke- one from when he was younger, and one where he was wrapped up to his head in bandages. Edward covered his mouth with shock.

"Oh, my goodness, he looks awful in that picture," he said.

"If you thought that looked bad, you should've seen him when he was in therapy. He was practically screaming in pain," Sir Handel said. His voice was serious.

"W-What happened to Duke for him to deserve that?" Charlie asked.

Sir Handel looked over at the Enforcer with a saddened expression on his face. Then he said, "If you really want to know, there's some footage that we captured back then. There's lots of blood involved, so if you're squeamish, you may not want to watch."

Edward swallowed audibly. "I-I don't think I want to," he stammered slightly. Sir Handel looked over at Charlie, but he didn't need an answer to tell that the Enforcer wanted to. Sighing, he hit the play button on the remote.

"Fifteen years ago, there had been a problem called the Dark Fragments Incident. It was a time where Diesel 10 had managed to take control of a powerful artifact called the Dark Enigma. If you remember the legend correctly, the Enigma was split into pieces. Duke found the fragments the same way you found the Book, Edward, and tried to split the fragments up one by one," Sir Handel explained.

"Well, was he able to?" Charlie asked.

"Unfortunately, no. He was only able to hide two pieces before Diesel 10 sent his spies to track him down," Sir Handel said. "Duke lived in Sodor at the time, and he was working for the Duke of Sodor as his butler. Having no other place to hide them, he magically sealed the fragments below the Duke's house."

"That was where he made his mistake." Everyone turned around to see Peter Sam standing in the doorway, holding a clipboard at his side. One look at his face told Edward that he was reliving the entire experience all over again. The officer cadet hastily wiped his eyes.

"Peter Sam! I thought you were supposed to be making sure Percy, Thomas and Toby got back to Tidmouth safely," Sir Handel asked.

"I already did. Duke told them to be careful, and he said that he'd contact them again if they see another page," Peter Sam said. "I was going to come in and tell you that, but I find you in the middle of telling Edward and Charlie about Granpuff's history."

"Would you like to explain the rest of it, Peter Sam?"

"I'll explain parts of it," he said. He stepped inside the room and sat on Charlie's bed. His expression was grim. "Somehow, Diesel had tracked down the fragments to the Island of Sodor. It turns out later on that the sealing spell that Duke had put on the fragments was starting to wear off. Duke didn't know about this, but by then…it was too late." Peter Sam swallowed a hard lump in his throat. "Sir Handel, if you please?"

"The Duke of Sodor and his family were home the day Diesel showed up. He told Duke that he was a carpenter who was hired to install new flooring. Duke didn't believe him, so he told him to show him what the carpet looked like. He went outside, and then, Diesel knocked him out. When Duke woke up, he was in the hospital. He asked about the Duke of Sodor, and the doctors told him that…" Sir Handel paused, holding his head in his hand. He really hated having to explain this part of the story. With a slight tremor, he finished his sentence. "They told him that there had been a house fire, and that the Duke and his family had been killed in it."

His words had a profound effect on Charlie, whose eyes widened in horror and shock before they started to fill with tears. Edward stared down at his hands, his chin trembling. A loud sniffle came from the other side of the room, and they all turned to see Peter Sam crying. Soon, the officer cadet quickly walked out of the room, shaking his head as he did.

Sir Handel sighed. "Peter Sam was the one who was called to investigate the incident, so he's dealt with it personally. Anyway, when Duke found out what had happened, and why Diesel had shown up, he nearly went ballistic. After he got out of the hospital, he was determined to kill Diesel. Not arrest him; he wanted to kill him. He began to train extensively, strengthening himself and learning many dangerous one-hit kill spells for months. He and Diesel met each other again during the Saint Germaine Incident…and then that's where everything went downhill. Duke used nearly all of the one-hit kill spells in addition to his own. The result: he and Diesel nearly died," he explained. He changed the screen to a picture, and Edward thought he would faint.

Duke was lying in a pool of blood, his eyes lifeless brown pools. His Device lay at his side, damaged and covered in blood. Peter Sam and Sir Handel were hanging over him, shouting at him to wake up. Out of the corner of Sir Handel's eye, he saw Charlie's jaw drop.

"Oh my goodness…" he muttered.

"When we got him to the hospital, he nearly died on the operating table since he had lost a lot of blood. Thanks to a blood transfusion, he made it, but since he'd overextended himself, they said that he would never be able to walk, use magic, or even speak again." Sir Handel changed the slide to a picture of Duke in the hospital. He wore an oxygen mask, and was wrapped head to toe in bandages.

"That's horrible," Edward said.

"Even then, Duke was tough. He decided to go for therapy, even when doctors went against it. He was there for almost a year undergoing physical and speech therapy. I don't even want to get started on the emotional toll. A month before he got out of the hospital, he broke down and cried often. He blamed himself for what happened to the Duke of Sodor and swore that he would never do what he did again. After he got out, he attended the Duke's memorial service. He was really torn up then, and before they started he started crying. After that, he went back to the Dream Dimension, and never came back to Sodor again," Sir Handel said. His voice was filled with tears.

Charlie's face was wet with the hot tears rolling down. Edward was holding his head in his hands, making soft sobbing noises as he did. For a long moment, the three said nothing as they cried for their captain and all that happened to him.

The door opened then, and in walked Duke. Judging from his earlier reaction, he was much more subdued and sympathetic. When he saw that all three of them were crying, he felt a pang of guilt hit him. Sighing, he cleared his throat, which got Sir Handel's attention.

"Sir! I thought you were at the bridge!" replied the officer cadet, nearly jumping to his feet.

"At ease, Sir Handel. I came in here to talk to Charlie," he said. Charlie wiped his tears away, and Edward looked up in surprise. Duke walked over to the bed and stood over Charlie.

"Judging by you reaction, Sir Handel and Peter Sam told you about my history. It's something I'd rather not talk about, and if I could go back and change the past, I would. But it happened, and I can't do anything about it," he said. "But now that you know everything, do you understand what I meant earlier by conflict of personal interest?"

"Yes, sir. And I understand what you mean by attacking recklessly and overextending yourself. I guess that head-cooling helped after all," Charlie said.

"I had more than just a head-cooling to learn from my mistake," Duke replied. "But you should thank God that you weren't in the same position that I was in. I have nothing against you being strong, but you have to take responsibility for your powers. If you only want to be strong just because, then what's the real point? Strength is reserved for people who know how to use it properly."

"I understand that now, sir. And the reason I want to get stronger is so I can protect other people I care about," Charlie said. "I lost my entire town, and my family, to Diesel's rampage during the Saint Germaine Incident. I want to protect the people who matter to me the most, and I don't want other families to feel the same pain that I felt."

Duke smiled. "That's a very noble cause, Charlie, which is precisely why I upgraded you to Enforcer status. For the next week, however, you're going to take some time off. I think you've been through quite enough." He turned to Edward. "Edward, I want you to stay here and keep an eye on Charlie and the others. I may have a job for you while we're here."

"I'll make note of that, sir. Does this still mean I'm on probation?"

"I'm officially shortening it. Percy is currently helping Thomas recover the pages, and I'll need you to help with the search as well. After all, you are the one who started it," he said. Edward made to protest, but there was a mischievous gleam in the captain's eye that let him know he was only teasing.

"Thank you for this opportunity, sir," he said.

"Yes, thank you," Charlie said. "And…I'm sorry. I was acting way out of line, snapping at you like that, Captain. Can you forgive me?"

"I believe you've already been forgiven, Charlie," Duke said. "I'll expect to see you two in about two days." He gave a salute to all three, which they returned. And then he left.

Edward sighed. "Well, at least I can give Percy something to cheer up about," he said.

* * *

_Present day: December 2nd, 2012, Sodor University Dorms_

Thomas looked in the fridge, unsatisfied with what he saw. There was barely enough in here to feed everyone. He turned to Toby. "How do you feel about having tacos?"

"I doubt the meat's still good. How about we order some pizza?" he said.

Thomas shrugged. "You read my mind. Hold on while I call Marco's," he said, and pulled out his phone, dialing the number.

Toby was currently sitting in the living room with Percy. The blond mage had managed to wake up not long after he had been brought to the Bureau. Peter Sam had managed to apply a powerful healing spell that had taken care of most of the injuries. He was still a little sore, though.

"So, how long is it going to take for you guys to find the pages?" Toby asked.

"I can't give a straight answer for that. It could take a couple of weeks, maybe even months. But the most important thing is, we can't let Diesel 10 and his Counts get them before we do. There's no doubting that they're going to work even harder to beat us," Percy said.

"Is it hard knowing that you're going up against your former friends, Percy?" Toby asked.

Percy nodded. "Yes. I know that deep down, they're good people, but their pride keeps them from admitting that," he said sadly. "It's much harder on Edward, though. He feels partially responsible for the incident that drove us all apart."

"I see. I probably shouldn't ask any more questions about it, since it's kind of a bad topic," he said.

"Oh, you don't have to go and do that. It actually helps if I talk about my problems. I don't like bottling them up," he said.

"You're pretty much my opposite. I don't want people to know about my problems," he said.

"I can understand if it was personal, but you should tell others, no matter how much you worry them," Percy replied.

"I have to tell him the same thing," Thomas said. "Back when we were kids, he used to have problems standing up for himself since he was so shy." The doorbell rang, and he ran to the door to answer it.

"I admit, I used to be really insecure. But when I became friends with Thomas, I started coming out of my shell, and I'm more open to talk about my problems-most of the time," Toby relied.

"Well, that's good to hear," Percy said. At that moment, Thomas came in with a large box of pizza. "What kind of pizza is that?"

"Supreme," he said. "I'd order more, but I didn't want to spend too much money on three boxes. They went up on the large."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's dig in!" Toby said. He opened the box, and soon the night was filled with pizza, laughs and talk amongst friends.

**To be continued…**

Next act:

James: Hey, Gordon, can we talk? I can't get to sleep.

Gordon: What is there to talk about, James?

James: Well, for some reason, I can't seem to stop thinking about the day we were first hired here.

Gordon: Are you regretting your decision?

James: Well…

Diesel 10: I must have those pages back, because if I don't, I'll never continue living!

Diesel: And you say this for what reason, sir?

Diesel 10: For the past few years, nothing-absolutely nothing-has made me happy.

Whiff: When the DDAB gets word of this, I'll be in jail for the rest of my life!

(He then sees that there some top secret files on the other side of the room. He gets up and heads over to the files.)

Whiff: "Project E"? What in the world?

Stay tuned for Act 8: The Reason for Living

**_Ah, yes. Character development is always a blast to write. Now that we've got Duke and the others out of the way, the bad guys get the next episode. We'll learn about Diesel 10's motives, and what exactly is this 'Project E'._**

**_I hope you enjoyed! Read and review!_**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


	8. Act 8: The Reason for Living

_Society of Darkness, 9:40 PM_

Gordon lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in thought. The last few hours rushed through his mind, and he closed his eyes, trying to push away those painful thoughts. But it wasn't that easy to do, as the fresh wound on his face stung and his shoulder was in unbearable pain. He could only imagine how Henry and James were feeling right now.

He was about to turn over and try to go to sleep, but at that moment, the door opened. He looked over to see James standing in the doorway, light flooding in from the hallway. His left eye was black, and an angry red bruise was forming on the right side of his face. A thin trail of blood ran down his lip and down his chin.

Gordon sighed. "You need to go and see a doctor for that, James."

"So do you, Gordon." James reached over and switched on the lamp, illuminating the room. Gordon groaned as the light temporarily burned his eyes. "But I didn't come in here to comment about our injuries. I came here to talk."

"About what?" Gordon asked, sitting up and glaring at James with his one good eye.

James sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "For some reason…I can't stop thinking about that incident from a year ago," he said.

"What incident? There weren't any dimensional incidents last-"

"I meant the incident that split us all up, Gordon. You know, when we were all at the Dimensional Academy?" James said impatiently. Gordon's eyes widened.

"Are you talking about when me, you, Henry, Edward and Percy were all friends?" he asked. James nodded, and Gordon scoffed. "Why are you thinking about that?"

"It's not like I _wanted_ to. But when Diesel 10 beat us tonight, it brought the memories back. Edward had warned us about remaining here with Diesel 10. Do you think that he was right?" James said.

"That, I can't say. But it doesn't matter now. Edward quit, so what? Things are better off around here without that old crackpot staying around," he said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," James said. "It was annoying how he'd always say that we were making a huge mistake working for Diesel 10. Still…"

"Still what?"

"Still…I can't help but get this deep-seated feeling in my stomach. It's almost as if it's warning me of something," James said.

"Sometimes, I get that feeling as well. But not while working here. I usually feel it if I sense a defeat," he said.

James leaned against the wall, and looked up at the ceiling. He looked impatient. "I think that this is more important than that though…"

"And why is that?"

"It's because I'm starting to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea," James said. "Maybe…it was a bad idea to join Diesel 10."

"You're not the only one who's thought that." Both Counts turned to see Henry standing in the doorway. He looked absolutely miserable, and his injuries stood out even with the small light in the room. Gordon sighed.

"I guess this is starting to turn into a discussion." He pointed at a chair across the room. "Sit down, and let me hear your side of the story."

_Haruka sora hibiiteru inori wa kiseki ni_

_(Resounding in the distant sky, my prayers turn into miracles)_

(Footage: We see Percy, Edward and Thomas standing in a lone field. The camera zooms in and gets a close up of the three in turn before it zooms out and goes up to the sky. During the short instrumental, we cut to a cloudy background where the words _Powers beyond your wildest dreams_ appears and then disappears. When the guitar kicks in, the _Sodor Magic Crusaders_ logo shows up. The clouds and the logo disappear, revealing Tidmouth below.)

_Mayonaka no ao ni tokete nagareteku namida no tsubu_

_(My flowing teardrops melt into the deep blue hues of the late-night sky)_

(Footage: The camera pans across Gordon, who is standing on top of a building with Levantine in his hand. We cut to a bedroom where James is modifying Graf Eisen.)

_Mayoinaku tsutsuminoku nukumori ni deatta_

_(I met with the warmth which eagerly enveloped me.)_

(Footage: Henry is seen on the couch, powering up Cross Mirage. Diesel 10, who is facing a computer, turns and looks at the camera, an evil smile on his lips.)

_Masshiro na yuki no you ni_

_(Pure as snow)_

(Footage: Percy is seen in his regular form, while a larger screen shows him in his transformed state and in a fighting stance.)

_Dokomademo sunao na kotoba_

_(Your thoroughly honest words)_

(Footage: Thomas is seen below in his regular form and in a fighting stance, while the larger screen shows him transformed. He mouths the "words" of the song.)

_Tetsu no hane matotta boku wo ugokashiteku_

_(Moved me when I was bound by iron feathers)_

(Footage: Edward rushes up to meet the mages in a park, and the three hold their Devices in the air.)

_Kizutsuku tabi yasashiku nareru_

_(Each time you hurt me, I can become kinder)_

(Footage: The screen splits into three as Percy, Edward and Thomas each transform. Their transformations complete, the three pose together against a blue backdrop.)

_Kimi no sono egao dake mamorinukitai_

_(I only want to protect your smile to the very end.)_

(Footage: Charlie gives a thumbs up while typing on a computer, with Sir Handel behind him. Duke is at the bridge of his ship, issuing orders. The scene then cuts to the three mages flying in the air, and they give one another a confident look.)

_Negai wa hitotsu_

_(That's my only wish.)_

(Footage: Soon, they focus ahead, and the camera zooms out as they fly towards the town.)

_Toki wo koe kizamareta kanashimi no kioku_

_(My sad memories pass through even time…)_

(Footage: Percy and Gordon are in a fierce duel with each other. Percy leaps away just as Gordon converts Levantine into its Snake Form and swings his chain around.)

_Massugu ni uketomeru kimi wa hikari no tenshi_

_(The one who will accept them is you, my angel of light.)_

(Footage: James throws four metal spheres in front of him, while Edward fires a Stinger Blade. Soon, their weapons clash. At the "tenshi" part, Charlie flies to escape Gordon's chains, and Edward shoots a beam attack.)

_Ano hi mune ni tomotta eien no honoo_

_(The eternal blaze that ignited in my chest that day)_

(Footage: We cut to Henry, who creates a massive entourage of energy bullets. Thomas responds by shooting a Divine Buster, which envelops the screen.)

_Fukai yami tokihanate jiyuu no tobira hiraiteku_

_(Will release the abyssal darkness and open the door to freedom…)_

(Footage: A mysterious girl with dark brown hair and green eyes is standing in a black background, holding Bardiche. Surrounding her are the pages of the Book of Transformation. She turns towards the sky, the pages flying across the screen. They disappear, and Percy, Edward and Thomas fly into the city, where they turn back into their regular forms before landing on the ground.)

_Tsuyoku hatenai mirai he_

_(We'll move confidently towards the endless future.)_

(Footage: Each of the mages' weapons- Cross Mirage, Graf Eisen, Levantine, Bardiche, S2U, Strata and Raising Heart-are shown quickly before we cut to Edward, Percy, Charlie and Thomas looking at the sunset, their Devices at their sides. The camera pans to the sky, where the _Sodor Magic Crusaders _logo flashes across the screen.)

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

This Chapter: October 9th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: A humanized fusion fic with Lyrical Nanoha, with a lot of twists from the original. Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: Act 8 brings in more character development, this time for the bad guys. There's a little more spotlight given to Whiff and Project E, and the reason why Diesel 10 is after the Book of Transformation. Also, more development on the plot will be given. So, enjoy~!

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 8: The Reason for Living

In the computer room, Diesel 10 was furiously typing away at the computer, staring at the computer with hardened eyes. He scanned the screen up and down to make sure that the special code he was preparing was correct down to the smallest detail. Beside him, Diesel watched lazily, drinking a can of vino.

"You really are focused on that code, aren't you, Boss?" he said. Diesel 10 noticed how slurred his speech was becoming. Groaning, he turned to his second in command.

"If I were you, I'd watch how many cans of vino you drink. That stuff is strong, you know," he said. Behind him, there were two empty cans sitting on the bench.

"Aw come on. I can hold it well enough," Diesel said, clumsily sitting in the chair.

"I know from experience that you can't," the Diabolical Count said, and turned back to the computer. "Besides, tomorrow, you're to head to the labs and make sure that my newest project is ready to go."

"You mean the experiment?"

"Yes. It's about time she started to use the new Device that Whiff gratefully created for her," he said. "Besides, with the Book of Transformation pages still out there, she can be used to our advantage."

"So, what's so special about her anyway?" Diesel asked.

"What's so special about her is that she can practically destroy you in close-range combat-_unarmed_," Diesel 10 said. Diesel spat out the vino he was currently drinking at this sentence. "However, I would like for her to learn more about fighting with a Device, which will be a great help to us when Whiff finally adds the Sealing mode on it. And I hope he can finish it soon, as I would like to get those pages."

"You're in a big hurry. Care to explain why?" Diesel asked.

"I need that book back, Diesel. Otherwise, I may as well kill myself!" he said. "If I don't get them back, then I have no reason to live anymore."

Diesel was appalled by this statement. "And why do you say that, sir?"

"It's because for years…nothing in this world has made me happy. My life was filled with pain from the start, as my family and I were dirt poor, and we could barely afford anything. I was a nobody, a useless person with great magical power. And I had a frightful temper growing up.

"Then, at school, I had a power release incident that destroyed the entire school, killing a lot of people. When the police found out, they banished my family away to the other side of the dimensions. My parents abandoned me, and I was left to walk to the Dream Dimension by myself. It was there that I met a great mage named Nicodemus. He was known at the time as the greatest teacher at the time. He taught me everything I know now. One day, he was teaching me about the artifacts of magic, and he showed me a mirror that showed me my future. In it, I saw myself as a powerful mage with the most powerful dimensional magic: the Magic Dimension's. As you know, Diesel, the Book of Transformation was made with this type of magic. When I first heard the news, I was thrilled, but also impatient. I had to do whatever it took to get to that goal. Nicodemus, however, saw my dark side, and refused to allow me to go further."

"So what did you do?"

"I broke into the dark magic section of his library, and I spent my time learning all of the dark spells that I know now. When he found out, he discharged me, but I was able to return…and we had a fight where I killed him with one of my spells-but not before he cut off my right arm. Afterwards, I threw his body into the river. To this day, people still think that he's simply disappeared," he said.

"And your ambition to become the most powerful mage in the Dimensions has made you into who you are today," Diesel said. "Impressive."

"Also…I believe that this is the only way I can truly be happy. I was never happy in my childhood, and I will do whatever I can to make sure that I get the Book of Transformation. I will have my wish granted, one way or another," Diesel 10 said.

"And if anyone gets in our way?"

"We crush them underneath our heels. I will have no one to stop me from completing my wish," Diesel 10 growled.

"I understand, sir. And I will help you reach it," Diesel said.

The Diabolical Count smirked. "I would definitely hope you do."

* * *

"So, are you two seriously thinking what I think you're thinking about?" Gordon asked. He and the other two Counts had been talking about the past for a long time. Remembering their times at the Dimensional Magic Academy had brought tears to their eyes. It had seemed like forever, but in all reality it had been at most four years ago.

"Well, I haven't officially said it yet," James said crossly, "but I'm thinking of leaving the Society."

Henry stared at him. "James! We never agreed to that at all!" he said. "I mean, there is no way in the world we can just leave. In the middle of an incident, no less!"

"Well, too bad, Henry! I can't believe I'm saying this, but that old geezer was right. Diesel 10 will probably kill us after he gets his hands on the Book. I'm not going to stay around and find out how he'll do it."

"It'll take more than a little persuasion to convince Diesel 10 to let you go. Otherwise, he might just kill you on the spot," Gordon replied. Both Counts muttered to themselves, seeming to rethink their plan. The room became very quiet, and then Henry spoke up.

"What if…what if we get our hands on one of the pages of the Book?" he said.

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed. Gordon's face could've painted a masterpiece, and James started at Henry with wide eyes.

"Have you lost your mind? If you even think of doing such a thing, you won't be around here long," Gordon said.

"Besides, there's no way we can get the pages without the boss noticing. He'll eventually figure out what's going on, and he'll kill you," James said.

"If we could get our hands on those pages, we can use it to defeat Diesel 10. He's the one who pretty much ruined our lives up to this point," Henry said. "And he's looking to ruin everyone else's lives as well."

"If I remember correctly, I think we were the ones who ruined our own lives. It's all because of that argument that we had with Edward last year that we're stuck here, fighting on opposing sides," Gordon said.

"And even if we were to suddenly go back, I highly doubt Edward and Percy will believe us that easily," James said. "They haven't trusted us since then."

"Do you have any other ideas?" Henry asked.

"Well, not really. But it's a risky idea, Henry. I think we should just forget about it and leave it alone," Gordon said.

Henry sighed. "Unless we act now, we will never be able to get out of here. Diesel 10 will try to keep us here until he's got the Book, and then he'll off us. I just know he will," he said.

Gordon and James looked at each other. Something was eating away at them as well, but at the moment, they had more important things to focus on, such as strategies for defeating their new opponents and how to get the pages as fast as possible.

"Henry, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to wait on your plans," Gordon said. "I think it'll be better if we actually focus on the mission at hand, instead of trying to work on another plan that could get us into trouble."

Henry's face fell, and he hung his head in shame. "Alright," he said. "Although, I still have this feeling…"

"In the meantime," James said, pulling out Graf Eisen, "I was thinking we could use some more training. That way, we can utterly crush those two mages if they try to cross our paths."

"I agree. If Thomas is really as powerful as Diesel 10 makes him out to be," Gordon said, pulling out Levantine, "we'll need to have an advantage against him."

* * *

When Whiff woke up, all he heard was silence. His eyes felt like lead had been weighed down on them, and his body was still sore from Diesel 10 throwing him into the wall. How long had he been asleep? Nevertheless, it was the most peaceful sleep that he'd had in the last two days. Before, he'd woken up screaming for help, which often caught Diesel's attention. The Devious Count, as he was known, treated him with no mercy, and often treated him worse than Diesel 10.

He got up slowly, forcing every part of his body to cooperate with him to do so. When he got to his feet, he felt like his legs were going to give out again, and he managed to half limp, half slide over to the nearest desk and collapse into a chair. His legs felt like they were being weighed down by sandbags.

"Must've been from sitting on the floor for too long," he muttered. He was about to try and get up to leave when he happened to look at the other side of the table, and saw something that piqued his interest. A brown folder had been nearly pushed off of the table, and from the giant red sticker that read 'Confidential', he assumed that it must be private.

Well, it wasn't going to be private for long. If that folder contained anything that could bring down Diesel 10, he could use it to his advantage, and then he could get out. Roughly sliding his chair across the floor, he reached over and snatched up the folder. After assuring himself that it would be alright, he opened up the folder to see what was inside. What he saw shocked him.

It appeared to be a report on a young girl, no older than he was possibly, who had light brown hair and deep emerald eyes. She looked rather uncomfortable in the picture, as if she wanted to be anywhere but there. He looked over to see if there was any other information about her that he could learn, but that was where he discovered something. Rather than her name being placed on profile, there was something on there that said 'Project E'.

"'Project E'? What kind of a name is that?" Whiff fixed his glasses as he read on. "No, wait a minute. Is this related to what Diesel 10 was talking about?" He scanned the paper for any more clues, but the profile didn't give out any details about her age, or even her date of birth. He was about to give up when he noticed that there were three other papers underneath. He moved on to the second sheet, where he stumbled upon something rather disturbing. It was a paragraph that gave a more detailed description about the Project E. But this wasn't what scared him.

_Mixing together the blood of two of the greatest mages-Nicodemus and Diesel 10-we created Project E as the ideal super mage. Diesel 10 has spent years writing up plans for the ultimate super warrior, but all other attempts failed. Together with top-ranked leading scientists, he gathered information of combat magic and other types of magic, and with this knowledge created life. Now that his experiment is starting to blossom, it will be some time before she can be released upon the world-and show the world what happens when you deny the Boss his rights to fight for his freedom._

There were more paragraphs after that, but Whiff shut the folder and put it back where he'd found it. He couldn't read any more of that stuff. It was just too sickening. To think that Diesel 10 would create someone to basically be a superweapon of mass destruction…it reminded him of the real reasons that he despised this man.

If he could find a way to meet this girl himself, then he could possibly warn her about the danger she was in by following her creator's orders. The only way he could possibly do that, though, was if he could complete the weapon he was assigned to make for her.

The perfect fighting machine. The thought disgusted Whiff, but he realized that he had no choice in the matter. Looking over at the table, he saw his prized gem. BD-01 glowed softly as he came over to it.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, BD-01. But I'm going to have to fit you with a few more things. The boss demands it," he explained.

_"Don't worry, sir. I am ready for whatever you plan to do,"_ BD-01 said.

Whiff smiled. "At least you don't make a fuss about changes in plans," he said. He then walked out of the room, ready to work on his project.

_I will finish this project, and get this to that girl as soon as I can. If I want to stop Diesel 10 from the inside out, then this is my only way to do it._

The minute he got to his desk, the door flew open to reveal James standing there. He looked very serious.

"Get up, McPherson. The boss wants you to come with us to the main room," he said.

"I was just in the middle of my work," he said.

"You can deal with that later, pipsqueak," James snapped. "Get to the main room or I'll drag you there myself." At the man's tone, Whiff got up from the chair and pushed BD-01 and his tools aside. He walked right past James without even looking back.

"I hope it's worth my time," he muttered low so James wouldn't hear.

"Oh, I believe it is," James said, and rudely pushed Whiff out the door as they left the labs.

* * *

Gordon was staring at the computer with an unreadable look on his face. If one could look at it more closely, it was more of a mixture between confusion and seriousness. Henry was rigid, and his tongue worked around his mouth nervously. Diesel 10, though, looked pleased.

"Sir, are you certain this is the right place to locate that page? With that many people, it would certainly cause a ruckus," he said.

"I don't care how many people are in that city, Gordon," his boss said with a growl. "The most important thing is that we get to work finding it before those newbies try to get their grubby little fingers on it."

"The pages did scatter to all the corners of Sodor," Henry said. "And it happened to land dead smack in the middle of one of the most populated places."

"Where it's located shouldn't be a hindrance. I want you to get there and find the page. For extra measure, I'm going to send Diesel along with you to make sure that the job gets done right," Diesel 10 said.

"WHAT?!" All three turned around to see James and Whiff standing there. The Iron Count's face was one of disbelief, and his jaw went slack. "He'll ruin everything! If the DDAB finds out, they'll probably send Charlie out again, and possibly Edward, along with those two newbies!"

"We'll get beaten again for sure," Henry moaned.

"Not necessarily. You will be receiving new upgrades, as provided by our good friend, Whiff McPherson," Diesel 10 said. "I want my Counts to have superior firepower in order to destroy our competition. That is why I'm fitting you with the cartridge system."

"But sire, that doesn't make any sense," Gordon said. "We already have the cartridge system in our Devices."

"You didn't let me finish my sentence, Gordon. I'm fitting you with the Crystal Dimension's cartridge system," Diesel 10 answered.

"That's the most powerful dimensional magic system available to a Device!" Whiff said. "And it's exceedingly dangerous. Their Devices could be severely damaged if I tried to install it…"

"You'll just have to make sure that they aren't damaged. The only way we can defeat them is if we have magic that's superior to them. You can do the job, and you _will_ do it-right. You have two days for the deadline, and if they're not prepared by then, you're going to have to come up with a good reason as to why I shouldn't kill you. Have I made myself clear, McPherson?" Diesel 10 said, turning to the professor as he spoke.

Whiff made to protest, but realized that it was futile to do so. With his chin held high and steely determination in his eyes, he replied strongly, "Yes sir. I will not fail you."

"Good. It's good to see that attitude in a worker. That's exactly what I liked about Edward: a hard-worker who rarely if ever questioned orders," Diesel 10 said.

"For Pete's sake, don't bring up that old geezer again," James groaned. He wondered if he should tell his boss that the only reason Edward didn't give him any lip about his orders was because he hated him too much to do so, but he kept his mouth shut.

"In two days' time, we will strike Wellsworth with everything we've got." Diesel 10's smirk was malicious. "And we will secure the page, no matter what it takes."

While the four Counts gathered to discuss their plans, Whiff made his way out of Diesel 10's room unnoticed, ready to get to work on his next grueling project. His eyes were filled with tears as he walked away, but he hastily wiped them away. Now was not the time to cry. Now, it was the time for action.

_Diesel 10 says I'll leave when he says I can leave. Well, I'm going to make sure I can shorten my stay here myself._

**To be continued…**

Next act:

Duke: Edward will soon be joining you. There have been talks that the next page will be located on the other side of Sodor.

Thomas: That's great! When's he coming?

Duke: This afternoon. But just because there haven't been any developments yet, doesn't mean you get to slouch around. You need to work on your magic skills, and Edward's going to be helping you with that.

Thomas: Hey, it beats taking exams. I'm in.

Diesel: Have you finished upgrading the Devices yet, McPherson?

Whiff (very tired): Well, it took all night, but I finally got it done. I was just running one more test to make sure that everything was checking out smoothly.

Diesel: Took you long enough. The boss also wants to know about the other Device you've been working on.

Whiff: I've had to remove the cartridge system in order to accommodate the Sealing Mode, but other than that it works fine. Why?

Diesel: The boss said that 'Project E' will be ready to launch the next time we search for a page. And he wants the Device ready so she can start using it.

Whiff (gulping): I see…

Charlie: Hold on, Captain. I'm getting reports of an attack at Ffarquahar. (He pulls up a video of the town, only to see a giant monster ravaging the town.) What the heck is that?!

Duke: That's unlike any monster I've ever seen. And how did it suddenly appear in Sodor? (Gasps) It can't be…

Charlie: It can't be what, sir?

Duke (pressing a button on the keyboard): Peter Sam, connect me to Edward immediately. This is an emergency.

_Stay tuned for Act 9: Second Strike_

**_The second character development chapter is finished! This won't be the last of those, though, since there will be more to add for the upcoming second half. In about two more chapters, you'll learn exactly what Project E is, and Thomas will have a moment where he fails to retrieve a page. But that's all I have to tell you, since I don't want to spoil my own plot. _****_J_**

**_Oh, I must point this out: I need to change Raising Heart's Shooting Mode to Cannon Mode, since I'm using it from Nanoha the MOVIE 1st. The character profiles won't be out for a while, since I want to actually get through majority of the show in order to write down everything. And I might draw up a cover for this soon. Don't worry, I'll also find an ending theme as well._**

**_Thanks for reading and please review!_**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


	9. Act 9: Second Strike

_Sodor University Dorms, December 4th, 2012_

"Man, am I bushed. Did I forget to mention how much I hate trigonometry?" Thomas groaned as he and Toby headed back to their dorm room.

Toby laughed. "Nope, especially since you said it about five times." He pulled out the key and unlocked the door. "Don't forget, next week is the tech exam."

"Ah, that'll be a breeze. It's the trig exam that I'm worried about," Thomas replied. When he and Toby walked in the door, they saw Percy on the couch, a plate of pasta in his lap and remote in hand. Dressed in a bright green shirt and dark blue sweats, he looked incredibly lazy, although Thomas knew that Percy was probably going over battle plans in his head. The blond mage turned when he heard the door close behind them.

"So, how did the exam go?" he asked.

"I think it went well," Toby said, "for me, at least. Thomas is freaking out over here."

"Well, what's a person who's terrible at math supposed to do?" his friend wailed. "It's because of the stupid system that I'm even in that class!"

"Hey, be happy you've got a friend in that class who's really good at math, Thomas," Toby said. He went into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of orange juice. "So, have Edward or the other people at the Bureau said anything yet?"

Percy looked at Toby with a surprised expression. "I'm actually surprised that you'd ask about that, Toby. Normally, Thomas asks."

"I'm just as involved in this incident as well, Percy. I need to know what's going on," Toby replied.

"Okay, then. Duke had sent a message to me earlier and said that he and Edward would be appearing on video mail in an hour with a very important announcement. What it is, I'm not sure,"Percy explained.

"Well, let's hope that it's not going to be looking for any pages," Thomas explained. "We've already got enough to worry about as it is with exams."

"I wouldn't count on that, Thomas. You do know that the outcome of this is between life and death for everyone, right?"

Thomas groaned. "Yeah, I guess so. Here's to hoping things aren't too serious…"

_Haruka sora hibiiteru inori wa kiseki ni_

_(Resounding in the distant sky, my prayers turn into miracles)_

(Footage: We see Percy, Edward and Thomas standing in a lone field. The camera zooms in and gets a close up of the three in turn before it zooms out and goes up to the sky. During the short instrumental, we cut to a cloudy background where the words _Powers beyond your wildest dreams_ appears and then disappears. When the guitar kicks in, the _Sodor Magic Crusaders_ logo shows up. The clouds and the logo disappear, revealing Tidmouth below.)

_Mayonaka no ao ni tokete nagareteku namida no tsubu_

_(My flowing teardrops melt into the deep blue hues of the late-night sky)_

(Footage: The camera pans across Gordon, who is standing on top of a building with Levantine in his hand. We cut to a bedroom where James is modifying Graf Eisen.)

_Mayoinaku tsutsuminoku nukumori ni deatta_

_(I met with the warmth which eagerly enveloped me.)_

(Footage: Henry is seen on the couch, powering up Cross Mirage. Diesel 10, who is facing a computer, turns and looks at the camera, an evil smile on his lips.)

_Masshiro na yuki no you ni_

_(Pure as snow)_

(Footage: Percy is seen in his regular form, while a larger screen shows him in his transformed state and in a fighting stance.)

_Dokomademo sunao na kotoba_

_(Your thoroughly honest words)_

(Footage: Thomas is seen below in his regular form and in a fighting stance, while the larger screen shows him transformed. He mouths the "words" of the song.)

_Tetsu no hane matotta boku wo ugokashiteku_

_(Moved me when I was bound by iron feathers)_

(Footage: Edward rushes up to meet the mages in a park, and the three hold their Devices in the air.)

_Kizutsuku tabi yasashiku nareru_

_(Each time you hurt me, I can become kinder)_

(Footage: The screen splits into three as Percy, Edward and Thomas each transform. Their transformations complete, the three pose together against a blue backdrop.)

_Kimi no sono egao dake mamorinukitai_

_(I only want to protect your smile to the very end.)_

(Footage: Charlie gives a thumbs up while typing on a computer, with Sir Handel behind him. Duke is at the bridge of his ship, issuing orders. The scene then cuts to the three mages flying in the air, and they give one another a confident look.)

_Negai wa hitotsu_

_(That's my only wish.)_

(Footage: Soon, they focus ahead, and the camera zooms out as they fly towards the town.)

_Toki wo koe kizamareta kanashimi no kioku_

_(My sad memories pass through even time…)_

(Footage: Percy and Gordon are in a fierce duel with each other. Percy leaps away just as Gordon converts Levantine into its Snake Form and swings his chain around.)

_Massugu ni uketomeru kimi wa hikari no tenshi_

_(The one who will accept them is you, my angel of light.)_

(Footage: James throws four metal spheres in front of him, while Edward fires a Stinger Blade. Soon, their weapons clash. At the "tenshi" part, Charlie flies to escape Gordon's chains, and Edward shoots a beam attack.)

_Ano hi mune ni tomotta eien no honoo_

_(The eternal blaze that ignited in my chest that day)_

(Footage: We cut to Henry, who creates a massive entourage of energy bullets. Thomas responds by shooting a Divine Buster, which envelops the screen.)

_Fukai yami tokihanate jiyuu no tobira hiraiteku_

_(Will release the abyssal darkness and open the door to freedom…)_

(Footage: A mysterious girl with dark brown hair and green eyes is standing in a black background, holding Bardiche. Surrounding her are the pages of the Book of Transformation. She turns towards the sky, the pages flying across the screen. They disappear, and Percy, Edward and Thomas fly into the city, where they turn back into their regular forms before landing on the ground.)

_Tsuyoku hatenai mirai he_

_(We'll move confidently towards the endless future.)_

(Footage: Each of the mages' weapons- Cross Mirage, Graf Eisen, Levantine, Bardiche, S2U, Strata and Raising Heart-are shown quickly before we cut to Edward, Percy, Charlie and Thomas looking at the sunset, their Devices at their sides. The camera pans to the sky, where the _Sodor Magic Crusaders _logo flashes across the screen.)

* * *

(Many people think it'd be awesome to have magical powers. They usually forget the problems associated with them, however…)

Iheartgod175 proudly presents:

_Sodor Magic Crusaders_

Story Created: July 25th, 2012

Story Written: July 12th, 2013

Published: July 13th, 2013

This Chapter: October 24th, 2013

Rated: T (fight scenes, depressing moments, small romance)

Summary: A humanized fusion fic with Lyrical Nanoha, with a lot of twists from the original. Seven pages of an immensely powerful book called the Book of Transformation are stolen by two mages named Edward and Percy, and in an attempt to escape from a sworn enemy, Percy heads to the Island of Sodor to hide, causing mages- both good and evil- from another dimension to bring their dangerous war there. When university student Thomas gets caught up in the fight, he is soon forced to become a mage to protect himself- and help Edward and Percy prevent the end of the world as we know it.

Author's Note: Okay, so I was going to update Super Readers, but I just kept thinking about this story, and so this got updated first. Act 9 is possibly one of the better chapters that I've written so far, with a lot more spotlight on Diesel 10 and the others. Thomas and his friends will get their chance at spotlight, but around this point in the story, this is really Diesel 10's show.

Before I start, I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the reason that I'm still here and able to create stories like this one. Thank You for giving me this talent, which I will use to glorify Your name. Amen.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Thomas or Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, AT ALL. Thomas belongs to Hit Entertainment, Britt Allcroft and the Awdry family-the late Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. Nanoha belongs to Masaki Tsuzuki and Seven Arcs. I only own this story, and my original character, Amy.

* * *

Act 9: Second Strike

_Society of Darkness, 2:40 PM Dimensional Time_

Diesel made his way down the hall to the labs where Whiff McPherson was working. His boss had asked him to check on their dear scientist and make sure he wasn't sleeping on the job. If that was the case, he was allowed to give him a rude awakening with his Device. Diesel smiled, and as he punched in the codes for the room he hoped that the scientist was asleep.

To his dismay, the scientist was hard at work, apparently in the middle of updating the forms for the Device. With deep bags under his eyes, it was easy to tell that he hadn't slept in days, but it was also easy to tell that he wasn't going to rest until he got his work done. Diesel cleared his throat, which caught his attention.

"So, is it completely finished?" he asked. "Diesel 10 is getting impatient, you know."

"I've run the necessary last tests on the device to make sure that it was working properly, so yes, it's finished. You'll have to tell Diesel 10 that the cartridge system had to be replaced, since I had to accommodate the Sealing Mode into it," Whiff explained. "BD-01, are you ready?"

_"Get set,"_ came the robotic reply. In a flash of yellow light, BD-01 turned into its Device mode.

Compared to before, its design was heavily modified. The angular blade was gone, replaced by a smooth, elegant crescent. In addition to the first set of spikes, there were also another that were smaller and more rounded. At the end of the device, there was a black cap with a golden spike at the end.

Diesel was impressed. "Well, that's different. Diesel 10 showed me the original designs, and I have to say, this is an improvement," he said.

"Of course. Did you have any doubt of my abilities?" Whiff pushed away from the desk and turned to the Devious Count. "I haven't named the Device yet, but I figured that would be D-10's job. I'll start working on the other Count's devices to fit the cartridge system after I get some sleep."

"You know, I liked you better when you would cower in fear all the time. What happened?" Diesel sneered.

"Simple; I started working here more," Whiff replied curtly, and got up, heading to the other side of his room where a small bed had been placed. He fell face first onto the bed, relieved to be away from the desk.

"Oh, and by the way, Diesel 10 has one other job for you. You're going to the second base up in Cranagan and present this Device to Project E herself," he said.

That got Whiff to pay attention, and he sat up, staring at Diesel. "He wants me to do that?" he gasped.

"Yes. He figured that you should be the one to teach her about the forms and the nature of it, as well as any basic skills that you know," Diesel answered. "After that, he decided that you can leave."

Whiff stared at the other mage with scrutinizing eyes. He was finding it hard to believe Diesel, since his mad boss was intent on keeping him here. Then again, he didn't really have much of a choice in the matter at all.

"Fine, then. I'll go, but please let me get some sleep before I go. I don't think Diesel 10 needs me to faint from exhaustion when I do go," he said.

"Alright then. I'll tell him that, but I doubt he's going to be happy about it," Diesel said. He then made his way to the door. Before he went out, he turned around and smirked. "I think you're going to really like her, Whiff. She's a fighter, like D-10 said." Then he left.

Whiff decided to lie back down, but he couldn't help but think about the girl he was supposed to meet. What kind of magic skills would she have? Will she be just as strong as Gordon, resilient as James and powerful as Henry?

All of these questions raced through his mind as Whiff settled into the uneasy realm of sleep.

* * *

_Sodor University Dorms_

_2 hours later…_

"Hey Percy, aren't you done setting up the communications yet?" Thomas asked.

"Almost. Don't forget, this technology is completely different from yours," Percy said, "and much more complicated." He was punching in buttons on a holographic keyboard, setting up the link for Duke and the others. "I think that just about does it."

"That's what you said an hour ago," Thomas muttered, but Percy didn't answer as Duke's image came up on screen. Next to him were Charlie and Edward, sitting in chairs. They were still wrapped up in bandages because of their last mission, but Percy could tell that there weren't any serious problems between them.

_"Good afternoon, gentlemen,"_ Duke started. _"I take it that your exams are going well?"_

Thomas groaned. "We're getting there, I guess. I sure hope I passed that trigonometry exam," he replied.

Duke laughed. _"Trust me, I was no math genius when I started out, but thanks to my expert training, I managed to get the hold of it. If you want to be a successful mage, Thomas, you'll have to work on your math. Creating new spells takes a lot of math formulas," _he explained.

"Oh great," Thomas muttered.

"Anyway, was there something that you wanted to speak with us about, Captain?" Percy asked.

_"Yes. Several of our top Enforcers have been scouting Sodor recently. Our energy readings indicate that the next page could possibly be in Wellsworth. You do know where that is, I presume?"_

"Yeah, Toby and I used to go there all the time," Thomas explained.

_"We've also got word that Diesel 10 is planning on fitting his Counts with the extremely powerful Crystal Dimension cartridge system," _Charlie said. _"The Crystal Dimension's magic is second to the powerful Magic Dimension's. If you were to be hit with that, you would very well be paralyzed for a month or so. And that's the magical damage we're talking about."_

"Geez, what is it with these destructive powers and stuff?" Toby asked.

_"It's really got to do with the different types of people that live where we come from."_ Edward's expression was serious. _"Since everyone is obsessed with trying to destroy each other, it makes sense that there are some dimensional magic systems stronger than others."_

_"However, there is no point in being a magic user if you don't know the basic training methods. Thomas, you were thrust into this situation, and as such, you were taught on the fly. While you had beginner's luck for the first two battles you fought, luck won't be able to get you out of taking a direct hit from Crystal Dimensional magic," _Charlie explained. _"You're going to have to be properly taught the inner workings of magic."_

_"That is why I have asked Edward to become your personal tutor," _Duke added. _"As Percy may have explained before, Edward was a mentor to not only him, but to Gordon, Henry and James. I have confidence that Percy and Edward will assist you in your magical studies."_

That got Thomas excited. "That's awesome! So, when's Edward coming back?"

_"Obviously not today,"_ Edward replied, chuckling. _"I'll have to wait about a week or so to get these casts off, and even then I can't move my arm that much. The only way I'll be able to mentor you is through vidscreen. As I explained before we came to the Bureau, you'll be training with me every day after you're done with school. What I did with Percy and the three Counts, I'm going to do the same thing for you."_

"And to give you a heads up, Edward is known as the 'Demon Coach' for a good reason," Percy added.

"Just try not to drive Thomas into the ground, okay?" Toby requested. "It was enough when Sir Handel was beating the crap out of him!"

_"Standard training for a mage is no easy task, but I'll try to teach him as gently as I can,"_ Edward assured. _"Besides, I don't think I was _that _bad when I taught Percy."_

"Are you kidding? We nearly collapsed from exhaustion when you were finished with us!" Percy exclaimed.

Duke turned to Edward, an amused smirk on his face. _"Is that so?"_ he asked. Beside him, Charlie held back a laugh.

Edward frantically waved his hands, completely embarrassed. _"Wha-No! L-Like I said, that was standard training I put Percy and the others through!"_ he stammered.

Even as the conversation devolved into playful teasing, Thomas made a mental note to himself to be ready for the next few days ahead. Already, he was going to start working to the bone. During his training sessions he would give nothing but his absolute best.

Duke soon got everything back to normal, and turned to Thomas. _"So, are you comfortable with the terms of agreement, Thomas?"_ he asked.

The reply was loaded and ready to go. "It beats staying in school for three hours and taking exams. I'm in."

_"Good. I'll start the first lesson a day after tomorrow. That way, I can go over reviewing my old training book and figure out what to teach you,"_ Edward said.

"Wait, I thought you knew this stuff right off the bat!"

_"Are you kidding? Even teachers have to review stuff, Thomas!"_

* * *

_Society of Darkness-Diesel 10's meeting room_

_3:45 PM Dimensional Time_

James, Gordon and Henry walked into their boss' meeting room, nervous. "Is there something going on, sir?" James asked.

Diesel 10 shook his head, although he was facing the computer screen. "No, not at all. I've actually got good news for you," he said. "I've found the other page in Wellsworth. However, the page seems to be…unstable."

"What do you mean by that?" Gordon asked.

"The magic in this particular page, known as the power of Control, is leaking to the outside world. Anything that it touches will sprout into a powerful monster, and if left unchecked, it could level an entire town," Diesel 10 explained.

James scoffed. "Who cares about a little town getting demolished? There are plenty on Sodor to choose from."

"That is true, but the main problem with this will be that the page of the Book will lose all of its magical power in the process, making it useless," Diesel 10 replied. "Even one page without magic will not make my wish come true."

"So, you want us to get in there and seal the page before it can lose its magic?" Henry asked.

"Precisely," Diesel 10 said. "Project E will not be joining you. Whiff will be staying with her for the next few days in order to make sure that her Device is in perfect condition."

"Off the record, I think that we can do a better job without her joining us," James said.

"I hope you can keep your word, James," Diesel 10 replied. "Now, I want you to head out, without delay!"

The three Counts bowed in respect. "Yes sir!"

* * *

_ (Eyecatch 1: In a bright blue background, a star flies out of the upper left hand corner of the screen, landing on the lower right hand corner. The Sodor Magic Crusaders logo appears after the star lands in place.)_

_ (Eyecatch 2: James is seen holding Graf Eisen in Raketenform, Henry is pointing his guns at the screen, and Gordon brandishes Levantine. On the lower right hand corner, the Sodor Magic Crusaders logo appears.)_

* * *

_DDAB Main HQ- Captain's Office_

_3:50 PM Dimensional Time_

Duke looked over at the picture on his desk. It was a picture taken four years ago, when he'd worked at Sodor for the Duke. The Duke, his wife and their small children were standing together, smiling happily. Duke wasn't there as he had taken the picture. When they had been killed in the fire, he'd gone through the wreckage to find anything left in the fire. Upon seeing the partially singed picture, he'd fallen to his knees and cried his heart out.

He hastily wiped away his tears, and swallowed a hard lump in his throat. "How could I have been so stupid? If it weren't for me, you all would still be alive…" he murmured. Tears fell from his eyes, and splashed onto his paperwork.

"I have no reason to blame you for being upset, sir." Duke looked up, surprised, to see Charlie standing there. In his grief, the captain hadn't heard him come in. The Enforcer wore a sympathetic expression on his face. "I…I lost people to Diesel as well."

"Yes, I do believe you told me that. One thing that we both have in common during those incidents is that we never got justice for either," Duke replied. "But I swear this, Charlie, once we get this incident cleared up, we will put Diesel behind bars for a long time for what he did…to both of us."

"I understand, sir," the Enforcer replied. Despite himself, a bright smile came on his face.

"Was there a reason why you came in, though? I'm pretty sure it wasn't to offer your condolences," Duke said, getting business like again.

"Oh, yes. Peter Sam and Sir Handel caught some footage in Wellsworth," Charlie explained. "There's a monster that's just shown up out of freaking nowhere."

Duke chuckled at Charlie's description, but only for a moment. "What does it look like?"

Charlie pressed a button on the captain's desk, summoning a holographic screen. Immediately, the lights in the room dimmed. "This is just unbelievable, on all levels, sir," he said, and pressed play.

A large orange blob with long arms and huge teeth was ravaging through town, leveling anything that it came into contact with. The air was filled with roars and screams as the people ran from the terrifying creature. The monster swung an arm at the camera's direction. There was a loud scream, and then static. Charlie hit the pause button.

Duke was aghast. "Where in the world did that thing come from? It certainly isn't Diesel 10's doing…" His eyes widened as it came up with the answer. "It can't be!"

"It can't be what, sir?" Charlie asked, alarmed. Duke didn't answer, but threw on his suit jacket before he started walking to the door. Charlie hightailed after him.

The captain stopped abruptly, causing Charlie to slam into him. "Charlie, run over to Peter Sam and tell him to contact Thomas and Percy immediately. This is an emergency!"

"Right!" Charlie rushed past his superior, nearly crashing into people as he left. Duke stormed past, heading directly to the bridge where the others were waiting.

"If Diesel 10 knows about this, it could be no surprise that he's sent his Counts to deal with the problem. However, I'm not letting them get ahold of the page!" Duke muttered.

* * *

_Wellsworth Station_

_3:12 PM_

James, Henry and Gordon arrived only for chaos to greet them. Many of the people who had gotten off of their trains were running for their lives, screaming. The railroad tracks were damaged, and several of the steam engines were off the rails, smashed beyond recognition.

"It's like something beat us here!" Henry wailed.

"You're definitely right about that," James answered, pointing in front of him. "Look at that!"

Gordon and Henry followed James' line of vision, where they saw a huge orange creature with eight metal arms coming in their direction. With beady eyes, it looked like a large, harmless octopus, but the rows of sharp blades on its metal arms were no joke.

"That… is the strangest thing I've ever seen," Gordon noted after a moment of stunned silence. "But, what is that thing doing here?"

_"Listen! The page is INSIDE the creature. It's been in contact with things in Wellsworth, and thus it morphed into this thing!"_

The three nearly fell out of the sky upon hearing their boss' shout in their heads. _"So, what is the course of action that we must take?"_ Gordon asked, recovering quickly.

_"Weaken it, and then seal the page away! Use whatever forms necessary!"_

_"… …That's going to be a lot harder than it sounds,"_ James replied._ "That thing's got magic from the Book of Transformation."_

_"Don't give me lowly excuses! Destroy that thing and recover that page!"_ And then the link went off. The three Counts snapped back to reality as a huge crash resounded from below, coupled with terrified screams of the townspeople.

Gordon brandished Levantine. "You heard him you two! Give it everything you've got to seal this thing!" he said. James and Henry nodded, loading cartridges into their Devices.

"Levantine, Cartridge Load!" Gordon shouted.

_"Explosion," _the sword Device replied. There was an explosive crack as the cartridge fired. _"Schlangenform!"_ In a bright blue glow, the Device had changed into a broad chain-whip. Gordon wasted no time in swinging his sword around. The long chain encircled the large creature, wrapping around it and binding its arms.

"Henry! James! Hurry up!" he grunted as he wrestled to control the large creature.

Five cracks filled the air as Cross Mirage loaded its cartridges. In front of Henry was a massive entourage of green bullets, which were sparking with energy. Power running up and down his arms, the Crossfire Count aimed at the creature's head, where he guessed the page was supposed to be.

_"Crossfire Shoot!" _he commanded, and pulled the trigger. The array of bullets thundered forward slamming into the creature's head. It let out an agonizing scream as the attack came in contact with it.

"James!" Henry turned towards the Iron Count, but at the sound of cartridges firing, he knew which form James was planning on using.

_"Raketenform!"_ Graf Eisen called, and the hammer changed forms. A golden spike extended from the front head, while three large thrusters emerged from the back. A burst of flame appeared as James took hold of the hammer, and rocketed towards his target.

_"Raketen…HAMMER!" _James yelled, spinning around rapidly before allowing himself to be swung towards the monster, which struggled to remove itself from Gordon's chain.

The hammer made contact with the soft, squishy flesh, tearing it straight open and propelling James straight through its body. The monster howled in pain, and Gordon quickly removed the chain. Another cartridge fired into the chamber as the Sword Count leapt into the air, fire forming on his blade.

"Henry, James, prepare to fire on my mark!" he called to his fellow Counts.

"All right then!" James pulled out four metal spheres. Graf Eisen was back in Hammer Form and poised to strike.

"Way ahead of you, Gordon!" Henry loaded another cartridge into Cross Mirage, and started to charge his next attack.

Gordon watched the creature squirm around at the sight of the attacks. He frowned at it, and raised his sword in the air.

_"Are you ready?"_ he asked telepathically.

_"Get it over with already, Gordon!"_ James replied angrily.

___"One hit is all it'll take! Phantom Blazer!"_

_"Roar towards the open sky! Flying Dragon Flash!"_

_"Fly, my swallows! Schwable Fliegen!"_

A torrent of fire rained from above, four red missiles slammed into the monster's sides, and the Phantom Blazer went through the monster once again. The contact from three attacks created a massive explosion that enveloped the city in bright white light. The monster screamed in agony as it dissolved into nothingness.

And then, in the middle of it, there was a worn-down page from a book. Gordon readied Levantine for another strike.

_"Let's seal this quickly, you two. I don't want another incident happening again,"_ Gordon said to James and Henry in his mind.

_"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"_ James ordered.

With fire on his blade, Gordon leaped towards the page at the same time Henry did, knives at the barrels of Cross Mirage. A loud war cry let them know that James was coming on the other side. In less than a few seconds, they were nearing the page.

_"Dimensional Page, obey my command!" _all three yelled. _"SEAL!"_

The moment their Devices made contact, there was a moment where there was simply nothing to be heard. And then, the page started glowing bright white, to the point where everyone had to cover their eyes.

"What on-" Gordon started, but he didn't get to finish. There was a bright flash, and then an explosion of power that sent a pillar of white light shooting into the sky. In an instant, all of the blue was sucked from the sky, leaving it black as night.

It took all of Gordon's strength not to get blown away from the outpour of power. Henry screamed, while James tried to hold his back. Gordon let a yell escape his mouth, as the white beams were washing over his body. His hands were going numb from the amount of power seeping into them.

Just when it looked like Gordon and the others would hold out, the page created a massive force field that blew all of them backwards tens of feet. Henry crashed into one of the locomotives, James spun out on the train tracks, and Gordon slammed onto the loading platform of the station. The page was still leaking out power, and white beams of energy shout out at odd directions, creating holes in the ground several feet deep.

Oddly enough, Henry was the first to recover before either Gordon or James. He narrowly missed getting hit by one of the beams, which sailed over his head and crashed into the next steam engine behind him. The vehicle quickly erupted into flames, and Henry turned to see the page start to throw everything at him.

_Cross Mirage is in no shape to attempt another sealing. That means I'll have to do it with only my raw power,_ he thought. Climbing out of the locomotive, he applied a Blitzkrieg and dashed over to the out of control page, hands outstretched. Swallowing heavily, he grabbed the page with both hands, and it reacted by trying to blow him into the concrete.

Henry summoned every ounce of magic into his hands, and at once, the Crystal Dimension magic circle appeared under him. He ground his teeth together as he fought back every last attempt to scream, especially when his fingers started to bend uncontrollably. A scream finally come loose from his throat as his knuckles broke, blood flying into his face. He could barely make out the shouts from his teammates over the excruciating pain and the deafening power surge.

Straining to hold out for one moment longer, he spoke directly to the page. _"Page of the Book of Transformation, obey my command. Control your power and sleep! SEAL!"_

There was another burst of deafening feedback, and then the winds around him started to go down. When Henry opened his eyes, he saw the page start to shrink to where it could easily fit in his hands. The outburst of power gone, he carefully grasped it in his bloody left hand, grabbing Cross Mirage with his right.

"Cross Mirage…seal it completely," he breathed. The page shrunk into a tiny orb of light and it flew into the barrel of Cross Mirage.

_"Serial Number 2,"_ the Device replied. _"Power levels stabilizing."_

"Thank goodness for that…" he said silently, and he fell forward. The effects of both the magic of the page and pouring out that much power to seal the page was catching up with him, creating a numbing effect on his body.

His teammates' shouts were the last thing his mind registered before he blacked out.

* * *

Above Wellsworth, Thomas and Percy saw the massive destruction that the page had caused. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, as were the steam engines and the station. One of the engines had erupted into flames, and another was going up like a matchstick. Majority of the trees had been flattened, and there were massive holes in the ground and in the railroad.

Percy didn't even want to think about the casualties, as he knew that a lot of people lived in Wellsworth. If it turned out that many people had gotten killed because they hadn't gotten there fast enough…

Thomas quickly interrupted his thoughts. "Percy, look over there!" Percy followed Thomas' line of vision, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

In the center of the railroad, where the destruction was biggest, the three Counts were sitting in a crater about ten feet deep. Gordon was trying to wake up an unconscious Henry, and James was standing away from them, talking on his wrist communicator. Neither Thomas nor Percy could make out what they were saying, but from the decrease in energy, they had managed to snag the page before they did.

And it had come with a price, as Henry had proved. Even from here, Raising Heart could identify the serious injuries all three had sustained from trying to seal the page. Henry's injuries, however, were far more severe.

"What do we do?" Thomas asked.

"There's nothing we can do, Thomas." Percy's hands were trembling, and to stop them, he clenched them into fists. "They've already got the page. I think it would be wrong to add more to the destruction by fighting them."

Gordon soon picked up Henry and then snapped something at James. The Iron Count walked over to both of them and pointed Graf Eisen at the ground. A red portal appeared under their feet, and they all sunk into the ground, disappearing. In a matter of seconds, they were completely gone.

"I can't believe we actually failed," Percy muttered. "And to think that so many people will be either seriously injured or dead because we didn't make it here fast enough…"

Thomas put a hand on Percy's shoulder. "We can't always get the pages, Percy. Toby told me that you win some, you lose some. In fact, the only reason we came out here was because Duke saw the page going out of control when the Counts couldn't stop it. Nobody expected Henry to suddenly jump in and use his bare hands to seal it," he said.

"And apparently, neither did Gordon and James," Percy replied. He then turned to Thomas. "But you're right. It was a situation that we couldn't control, especially since we're dealing with a magical artifact. However, I don't want to use that as an excuse when we can't retrieve a page. From now on, I'm going to give every fight my very best."

"So am I, Percy," Thomas said, and the two soon turned around and left the scene when the fire department started to show up. "So am I."

* * *

_Society of Darkness' Cranagan Base_

_4:30 PM Dimensional Time_

Whiff held his breath as he showed his ID to the guard at the front desk. He was big and muscular, which made Whiff look like a shrimp in comparison. However, the guard immediately let him in, walking alongside him as they made their way to the labs.

"The experiment room is right down this hall. Afterwards, make a left," he said.

"Thank you," Whiff replied. After the guard walked away, the scientist made his way down the long halls and made a left as the guard had said. He soon came face to face with two large grey doors. 'Project E' was written on the doors in big, black letters.

Swallowing, he was about to scan his ID card in the slot, but was surprised when the door gave way and opened. He was greeted by ten guards carrying massive guns and wearing grim expressions.

"Ah, Mr. McPherson. We've been expecting you," the one on the right said.

"I can tell," Whiff replied, and shuffled his way inside.

"Let's get down to business. I think you're pretty anxious to meet Project E, aren't you?" he said. Wordless, Whiff nodded, and the guard pointed to his right. The scientist turned, and who he saw made him gasp in surprise.

Standing before him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She had dark brown hair, emerald eyes, and a touch of lipstick. She was wearing a white turtleneck and black pants that went down to her ankles. She looked up at Whiff with a smile, and the scientist blushed madly. He couldn't help it; no girl had ever smiled at him before.

"Whiff, this is Emily Sterlington," the guard said, "otherwise known as 'Project E'."

At once, the happy feeling disappeared from both Emily and Whiff, as they remembered why they were meeting in the first place. Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out the Device he'd made for Emily.

"This is the Device?" The guard stared at BD-01's Standby mode. "Diesel 10 said this thing turned into an axe."

"Ah, it does. But its Standby form is meant to conceal it's true power," Whiff said. "BD-01, set up!"

_"Get set."_ In a flash of yellow light, BD-01 transformed into its Device mode. All of the guards and even Emily stared in surprise.

"Well, now I know what you mean. Although, it looks like one of those ancient axes from Earth," the guard said.

"It's a bardiche, to be exact," Whiff explained. Just then, he realized that he'd found the perfect name for his device. "That's it! I'll call it 'Bardiche'!" he added. "It looks exactly like its namesake."

"Well, I can trust that you'll be able to help Emily work with…Bardiche until it's time for her to leave?" the guard said. "Diesel 10 wants this done in a certain amount of time, you know. So you need to skip the beginner's stuff and get right to the meat of the matter."

"I understand. I've already got the lessons planned anyway," he said.

"Good. I'm sure Emily won't disappoint. She's raced through the beginner's stuff in no time at all," he said. "In an hour, I expect you to begin training. Is that understood, both of you?"

"Yes," both Emily and Whiff replied.

"Diesel 10 looks forward to your progress, Emily," the guard replied. He then turned on his heels, and walked out the door. The other guards quickly walked out as well.

When the doors had hissed closed, Whiff turned to Emily. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him as though she were meeting with a total stranger. And Whiff couldn't blame her; she didn't know him at all, except as that scientist from Diesel 10's.

He cleared his throat to clear the tension in the air. "Well, Emily, I know that we have a deadline to follow, so I'm going to try and squeeze as many lessons into our daily training sessions as possible. The training for a mage is pretty difficult, but I will do my best to teach you as gently and as fast as I can," he said. "Do you think you can handle this?"

"You heard the guy. The beginner's stuff was a breeze for me," Emily replied confidently.

"Ah, I see someone's confident today," Whiff said. "Well, I look forward to working with you, Emily."

Emily smiled, for real this time. "I look forward to it, too," she replied. Then without another word, she led him towards the training rooms.

_Hopefully, this will turn out well,_ he thought. _I really don't like the idea of Diesel 10 taking advantage of a girl like Emily, but…I really have no choice at this point. I will do my best to give her the necessary training as quickly as possible._

Next act:

Duke: We'll be sure to snag the page next time, everyone. On that note, how is training going so far, Thomas.

Thomas (breathing heavily and covered in dirt): I can see why Percy called Edward the 'Demon Coach' now.

Percy (shrugging): Hey, don't say I didn't warn you!

Henry: Ugh…where am I?

Gordon: You're in the ward, Henry. What were you thinking, using your bare hands to stop the page? You had me worried!

Henry: I couldn't let them get the page. And I couldn't go back on our goal.

James (shocked): Are you still trying to go with that rubbish again?!

Emily: So, how long will it be before the Master allows me to go out there and fight?

Whiff: It'll be some time, Emily. While you've managed to go through most of the training splendidly, there are two areas that you need to work on: control and speed.

Emily: Alright then. Are you a good enough mage, Whiff? Because if you are, I want to have a mock battle!

Whiff (aghast): I didn't say that I was a combat mage at all!

_Stay tuned for Act 10: Progress_

**_Lacywing, this chapter answers your question: Project E is in fact Emily. To fully understand her role in the story, you may want to watch Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. She's filling in for Fate Testarossa, who's Nanoha's best friend in the show. In MGLN, Nanoha pretty much dedicates her whole mission to make friends with Fate. As stated before, I'm going to follow a few things from the series, but this is more or less a divergence fic, with several original elements and concepts that weren't in Nanoha itself._**

**_I was surprised by what I had Henry do in the story. At first, I was going to have Thomas and Percy attempt to seal it, but I was led to have Henry jump in and seal the page with his bare hands, since it would've involved a big battle if I'd done the first option. _**

**_Act 10's going to tone down the more serious aspects of the story. You could call it a "calm before the storm" chapter, because in Act 11, that's when things start getting serious._**

**_This is the list of Device forms and attacks that appeared in this chapter:_**

**_Schlangeform (German for Snake Form): Levantine's mid-range combat mode. This converts the sword into a chain whip that Gordon can use to either snag or bind his opponents._**

**_Raketenform (German for Rocket Form): Graf Eisen's secondary form, which converts the hammer into a rocket-propelled drill._**

**_Crossfire Shoot: Henry's projectile attack, which earned him his title of Crossfire Count. He summons up to fifteen bullets of energy, and shoots them at his target. Unlike most of his spells, this one is relatively easy to cast._**

**_Flying Dragon Flash: Gordon's standard attack while Levantine is in Schlangeform._**

**_Raketen Hammer (Rocket Hammer): James' standard attack with Graf Eisen in Raketenform. James spins around rapidly and propels himself at a dizzying speed towards his target. This attack is very hard to avoid._**

**_Phantom Blazer: Henry's signature attack. He creates a large bullet of energy and shoots it at his target. While it's extremely powerful, it suffers from a long loading time._**

**_Schwable Fliegen (German for Swallow Flier): This is James' standard attack with Graf Eisen in Hammer Form (its default mode). Interestingly enough, James' incantation has him saying the name in English before saying it in German._**

**_Bardiche: BD-01's new name given to him by Whiff McPherson._**

**_I'm going to go through and edit the chapters for mistakes and adding the indexes to them. Also, if anyone's interested in drawing some artwork for this story, I'd appreciate it. I've been way too busy._**

**_God bless, iheartgod175_**


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